Featured Rhinestone Earrings. Clips Marked STER. PAT 1967965: Original Assignee: Ballou & Co B A

Sorry these are so grungy. I didn't give them a bath for glamor shots and the close-up lens magnifies all the crud to scary proportions.
I can find all kinds of info about the company that made the findings, because the clips are marked and the patent info was easy to find.

STER. PAT 1967965
Inventors: EUGENE MOREHOUSE. MELVIN W. MOORE.
Original Assignee: Ballou & Co B A
Publication date Jul 24, 1934
Filing date Mar 30, 1934
https://www.google.com/patents/US1967965

As far as I can tell, the STER. means sterling, not a maker's name/mark.
I would guess that this style would have been popular 1930's thru early 1960's maybe. Want to find out what the joolies know and think.
Is it possible to ID a designer or company that made these and pin down the time frame?
Are they gold washed/vermeil?
Thankyou!

 

Ballou made hardware for all sorts of companies, mostly in Rhode Island. These probably do date to the 30s or very early 50s, with those backs. I don't think there's any way to pin down whodunnit, except that they were most likely in Providence RI or North Attleboro, MA.

 

Hi,
My class ring was made by Ballou made in 1954.
greg

 

i would say the clip is sterling.....but would not vouch for the earring itself !

 

It might well be; if it is, those might be WWII era earrings. Silver wasn't a war material and they could get it. Brass was for war use and they couldn't.

 

Though this was originally posted August 16, 2017 I thought it might be worth a try to bump it up again.
It seems like we have a lot of super knowledgeable, hardcore jewelry people on the board now!

 

I too have a pair of sterling earrings with the patent # 1967965 with gorgeous clear red faceted stones in the shape of a flower. Came to this page through Google.

 

The earlier posts are from over 4 years ago.

 

@Ginger Taliesin
Is it possible that you could post pictures of your earrings? Someone might recognize the designer or company that originally made and sold them.

You could start your own thread or post in this one, whichever you prefer. I think it's highly likely that you'll get more looks and responses if you start your own thread though.

 

Wow!!! I never thought when I tried to find these strange little clip-on earrings that I would actually find anything close to them, but here you are.. Thank you. Wish that I could post a picture.