Trifari Stork Pin -- A Genuine (Fake) Mystery!

Trifari Stork Pin -- a Genuine (Fake?) Mystery!
(or . . . which stork is which?)

Behold! Five stork pins . . . all different!

stork4.jpg (19288 bytes) stork5.jpg (25454 bytes)

Interesting, eh? Which, if any of these, is the REAL Trifari stork pin? Is more than one "real?" Is the "real McCoy" a fur clip or a brooch? Was it produced in both forms? Was it produced in different colors? Well, let's do an analysis and see what we can find out!

Stork #1 -- is an anonymous piece, from the Internet, sold during the summer of 1999.

Stork #2 -- is also an anonymous piece, from the Internet, sold during the summer of 1999.

Stork #3 -- is owned by a colleague, and was purchased "years ago."

Now, which, if any, are real . . . and which are fake? Here are the clues:

First, here is a copy of the design patent for this piece, No. 125,847, issued March 11, 1941.

Notice that the patent is for a "pin clip," which is what we call a "fur clip" today. Also take a look at the design renderings. If you look closely, you can see, on the side view, a rendering of what appears to be a prong clip.

Now, some individual observations about each stork:

The back of Stork #1 is a fur clip (double prongs). (Click here to see back.) The clipback is incised with the "Trifari" w/crown mark. It also is marked "pat. pend." and has a screw at the bottom of the piece which holds the bottom lilypad to the frame. Its large stone is not bezel-set, and is a rounded square. Its red leaves seem very odd, however; Trifari pieces of this period are generally realistically colored, in my experience. However, it very closely resembles the design patent specifications.

Stork #2 is also a fur clip. Its enameling seems less distinct than the enameling on either #1 or #5. Trifari, as a rule, did not leave "edges" on its enameling -- it enameled out to the edges of the piece. Look at the bird's crest on this stork, and on the others. Its stone looks like Stork #1's. Not quite clear on the mark -- may be "Trifari" or "Trifari jewelry." (Note: there is no such mark as the latter, to my knowledge.) It also resembles the patent specifications.

Stork #3 is a pin (brooch) -- not a fur clip. Its stone is bezel set. Its owner indicates that parts of it may have been repainted -- particularly the bezel holding the large stone. The headcrest of the bird is unlike the crest of storks #1, #2 and #5. Marked "Trifari." Does not resemble the patent specifications, in that there is a colored bezel holding the stone in. The lilypad flower at the bottom has 5 petals, not 7.

Stork #4 also has a bezel-set stone, enameled pink in an apparent "mottled" pattern (visible in book pic; not too visible in the pic above, though). This type of enameling is not typical of Trifari pieces of the 1930s and 1940s. It is not known whether this piece is a brooch or a fur clip, as the fastening mechanisms of many of the pieces pictured in the Brunialti book appear to have been edited out or hidden. Marked "Trifari." Again, does not resemble the patent drawing, because of the bezel. The lilypad flower at bottom as 5 petals.

Stork #5 looks like Storks #1 and #2 -- at least superficially. Its enameling seems more Trifari-like; smooth, professional, to the edges. As with Stork #4, it is not known whether this piece is a brooch or a fur clip. Apparently marked "Trifari." Resembles the patent drawing.

There are many other observations I could make regarding these pieces -- of head size, proportion, placement of beak, etc. Study the pictures and see for yourself.

My PERSONAL opinion is that Stork #5 is genuine. I base this on the fact that it appears to me to embody Trifari's typical design and finish techniques. Unfortunately, you can tell only so much from a photograph. From the photograph, it is not clear whether this piece is a fur clip or a pin. "Jewels of Fantasy" labels it as a brooch; however, the same book also labels, as a brooch, an obvious fur clip. Note that I have heard from the former owner of this stork, and he confirms its authenticity.

Also, I have heard from the new owner of Stork #1, and she feels that it, too, is genuine. This stork has an authentic Trifari clipback. Its coloration still bothers me, as red leaves are so unrealistic. However, over time, I have run into more and more alternately-colored Trifari pieces of all types, so the red coloration is consistent with this.

Stork #2 I'm less sure of -- the headcrest is different, the wing feathers are at a different angle, and the beak is positioned differently. (This could, of course, be attributable to camera angle; analysis by photograph is not as good as in-person analysis, where fine details are concerned.) All in all, #1 and #5 are most like each other.

Storks #3 and #4 are DEFINITE fakes. Why? First, because they do not match the design patent. Second, because they appear to be pins, and not fur clips (#3 is definitely a pin; I don't really know about #4). I have found NO instances of a patented Trifari fur clip having also been manufactured as a pin. Third, because of the bezel. The "real" Trifari stork is a marvelously engineered piece, with an unfoiled stone held in place by the lily pads, which are screwed into place. Again, look at the back of the pin and observe the multi-piece construction. A repro artist would not bother trying to achieve this engineering feat -- and opt instead to enclose the stone in a bezel, which requires less precise engineering and permits one-piece construction. (I have, in fact, seen a picture of the back of stork #3, and it is indeed made in one piece.) Fourth, because (among other differences) the number of lilypad flower petals at the bottom is different -- 5 vs. 7. Would Trifari go to the trouble of making what would have had to have been two different sets of molds, all for one bird clip? Would they bother making both a pin and a clip? No. It would have been both pointless and a waste of money.

OK, quick recap: #1: real. #2: not sure, but may be real. #3: fake. #4: fake. #5: real.

Have you seen any of these birds, real or fake? (Got a fake one you'd like to sell to me, cheap??) If so, please email me at dkos@radix.net.

Addendum: I have been informed that a presumably genuine Trifari stork pin went for $3,000 + 15% buyer's premium at a Doyle auction in NYC in November 2000. Now, that's not necessarily representative of market, as I was told there were "a lot of crazy people with deep pockets" at the sale! But it's an interesting bit of news, no?

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