Gene Verrecchio for CORO 'Quivering Camellia' duette/pins/clips set. This design was such a great commercial success, that it is said to have resulted in half a million dollars in sales even before production had started. It proved to be one of CORO'S best sellers. Gold and rhodium-plated base metals.

Features two dimensional clear baguette with ruby red rhinestone pistil centers tremblant (mounted on tiny springs) camellias accented with channel-set clear pave rhinestones to the gold-plated exteriors and invisibly set ruby red stems. The flowers are attached to pave accented and green enameled leaves.

The clips/pins can be removed from its frame and worn separately (a genius CORO design).

Measures 3" by 1 5/8" as a pin/duette; 2 1/4" by 1 1/8" as separate dress clips.

Each clip/pin is signed D PAT. 110296 and REG. U.S.A. PAT. OFF. The duette frame is marked 'CORO DUETTE', PAT. NO. 1798867. The patent is applicable to all pieces in this design.

Very good vintage condition with the exception of a missing turn catch on the clasp. Still holds securely.

Book reference here of the camellia set can be found on page 100 of Brunialti's 'American Costume Jewelry, Art & Industry, 1935-1950, Volume 1' (rated *****5 of *****5 stars for quality and rarity) . The advertisement for the 'Quivering Camellia' set appeared in Vogue in 1938.

CORO, INC., was one of the largest and most prolific costume jewelry manufacturing and wholesale companies in the United States and the world.

Coro was begun in 1901 by Emanuel Cohn and Carl Rosenberger who opened a small accessories store on Broadway in New York City. Not until 1943, did the company name Coro, a contraction of the first two letters of each partner's last name, change to Coro, Inc.

Cohn and Rosenberger were not designers of jewelry; they found professional jewelry designers for this work.

Adolph Katz, a name well known to Coro collectors, was not a jewelry designer either (contrary to popular belief). He signed his name on the patent applications. From 1924 on, he was the man in charge of selecting the designs from a large pool of designers that Coro would manufacture, commission to be manufactured, and sell.

Francois was one such designer who joined Coro with his floral brooch designs in 1938. A special introductory advertisement featured his first line for Coro. Francois later marketed his jewelry under his own name, Francois.

Other notable Coro designers included Gene Verrecchio, probably most famous for his design of the Quivering Camellia Duette . Several other designers are mentioned in the design patent applications by Coro, notably, Oscar Placco, Robert Geissmann, Massa Raimond. It was, however, not a custom at Coro to mark individual jewelry with a designer's name except in rare instances.

Adolph Katz, as the design director for Coro, was probably the single largest influence in creating the look for which Coro became known and popular with the jewelry buying public