c. From 1947
WEISSCO
Single straight line of WEISSCO in block capitals on an oval reverse panel; no NY line.
stamped · plated base metal · New York, New York, United States
Designer marks
Weiss jewelry hallmarks
The name “Jewels by Albert Weiss / AW Co.” appears among Weiss jewelry hallmarks on printed card from New York, New York, United States.
- Active years
- 1942–1971
- Country
- United States
- City / region
- New York, New York
- Products
- rhinestone brooches, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, tiaras, enamelled costume jewellery
- Marks
- 5
Original New York costume-jewellery firm, 1942–1971; unrelated German, Mexican and later similarly named marks are outside this interval.
What to look for
- Read the entire name: WEISS, WEISSCO and WEISSCO N.Y. are different wording designs. A small CO or NY can be easy to overlook.
- Check the attached display card as well as the jewellery. The card’s Jewels by Albert Weiss wording and crowned AW Co. emblem are separate from the metal signature.
- A plain WEISS stamp is shared with other similarly named businesses. Country wording, accompanying marks and the object’s construction provide additional identifying detail.
Marks & lettering
5 marks
c. From 1951
WEISS
Bold block WEISS fills a small horizontal oval; no CO, NY or copyright symbol.
stamped · plated base metal · New York, New York, United States
Undated
Jewels by Albert Weiss / AW Co.
Script Jewels by Albert Weiss appears across the display card; crowned W within the AW Co. emblem appears below.
printed · printed card · New York, New York, United States
Undated
WEISS ©
Company name and separate copyright symbol appear on a small integral panel in the blackened openwork back.
cast · plated base metal · New York, New York, United States
Undated
WEISSCO / N.Y.
WEISSCO arches over N.Y. inside a small oval plaque.
stamped · plated base metal · New York, New York, United States
About Weiss
Albert Weiss established his costume-jewellery business in New York in 1942. The company sold necklaces, bracelets, earrings, brooches and other accessories under several related names. WEISSCO was among the early trade names: Albert Weiss & Co. filed it as a jewellery trademark in September 1947. Later products often carried the shorter WEISS signature, while display cards used the fuller Jewels by Albert Weiss name and an AW Co. emblem.
Rhinestones were central to the range. Clear and coloured glass stones were arranged in floral, geometric and figural designs, often with matching earrings, necklaces or bracelets. Advertising from the 1950s and 1960s promoted named collections, including Aurora Borealis, Black Diamonds and more elaborate evening designs. Tiaras were advertised for weddings, proms and graduations in 1959. The range also included enamelled jewellery and seasonal pieces such as Christmas trees.
Weiss used outside workshops to supply jewellery carrying its name. Hollycraft made some of its Christmas-tree designs, so the signature identifies the selling business rather than one unchanging factory. The original New York firm closed in 1971. Its history is separate from the German jeweller Rudolph Weiss and from Mexican silver marked Weiss; the shared surname does not make those businesses part of Albert Weiss & Co.
Also known as: Albert Weiss · Weissco · Weissco N.Y. · Weiss N.Y. · A.W.Co. · Jewels by Albert Weiss · Albert Weiss & Co., Inc.
Look-alikes & how to tell them apart
Rudolph Weiss, Kaufbeuren
The German jeweller also used WEISS on metal. A plain surname alone cannot distinguish the businesses; NY and WEISSCO provide more specific New York company wording.
Weiss Mexico →
Mexican silver examples carry wording such as STERLING, 925 and MEX. CJCI lists that mark separately from Albert Weiss’s New York costume-jewellery business.