Jakob bengel biography of rory

Jakob Bengel began making watch chains in his factory in Idar-Oberstein, Germany in 1873.

Jakob bengel biography of rory

The chains were made from silver, brass and other alloys known as Tombac and Double Americaine. The majority of Jakob Bengel Jewellery is unsigned/unmarked (the Bengel mark is a pyramid stack of cannon balls and a cannon) especially those that were exported.

In some cases because of Germany’s lack of popularity in the 1930’s, items exported to France were marked ‘Made in France’

He was a success and in the 1920’s went on to producing geometric costume jewellery using chromed chain, tubes, findings and Galalith (this is a type of early plastic similar to Bakelite and Catalin).

He also created complicated constructed chain known as brickwork, this was cold painted in reds, blues, blacks and greens.

It was during the Bauhaus and Art Deco period that Jakob Bengel was looking to obtain new materials and inspiration to produce costume jewellery.

Inspired by French Avant-Gar