United Artists, 1947; a goldplate piece featuring a square geometric pattern, worn by the star with one of her trademark ensembles in the famous musical comedy co-starring Groucho Marx. Also worn by Taylor Schilling in "Atlas Shrugged: Part I" (The Strike Productions, 2011). Documentation images shown for reference only (no prints included with item). Provenance: Joseff of Hollywood Family Collection; Julien's Auctions. 

Eugene Joseff, jeweler to the stars, served as a custom designer on over 1000 films during Hollywood’s Golden Age. A commercial artist from Chicago who designed jewelry as a hobby, Joseff originally came to Hollywood on vacation during the early days of the Great Depression. The need to work pushed him to seek “something to do” in his new locale, but personal passion and intense dedication would make him a mainstay in the film industry and see his hobby turn into an illustrious career.

Joseff pioneered a technique for plating jewelry that reflected less light than real gold or silver, which made pieces better suited for the bright lights of film sets. This technique, which he termed “Russian” plating, along with his dedication to accuracy, made him Hollywood’s favorite jeweler. Another innovation he employed, perhaps even more ingenious, was a rental business model – rather than sell jewelry to studios or productions, he would lend a piece, collect a rental fee, and be able to use the same piece indefinitely. The same ring could appear in multiple films, in publicity photos, and adorn stars at red carpet appearances.