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A topic for recording information regarding the famed Russian-born jeweller, (Rosa) Olga Tritt, who became one of America's leading jewellery designers.
If you have any details of Olga Tritt, advertisements, examples of her work, markings, etc., anything that you are willing to share, then here's the place to post it.
At an exhibition of the Women’s Industrial Exchange held last week at Grand Central Palace, Miss Rosa Olga Tritt, a young Russian girl, who is working at her trade of jewelry and watchmaking in this city, gave an exhibition of her skill in watch repairing. She worked on a beautiful old enameled watch, which was said to be 250 years old and valued at $700. The watch was formerly the property of a Russian nobleman.
Women Jewelry Designer on European Purchasing Trip
Olga Tritt, one of America’s leading woman gem authorities and jewel designers, left for London today via Pan American World Airways.
Miss Tritt will visit London, Paris, Antwerp and Holland for the purpose of purchasing unset diamonds and other precious stones. She plans to be gone about six weeks.
"This is my first trip in seven years," said Miss Tritt who, prior to the war, averaged two trips abroad, each year. She will be available for interview at the Ritz Hotel, London.
Source: The American Horologist and Jeweler - June 1946
Jeanette MacDonald’s regal beauty and lovely singing voice are admirably suited to the queenly roles she portrays in “The Love Parade” and “The Vagabond King.” Above she is shown with some of the famous Olga Tritt jewel collection, which was brought from New York to be put on exhibition in Los Angeles. Miss MacDonald’s many years of stage experience make her a particularly valuable asset to the Paramount production forces.
Regarding the jewellery of the actress, Elizabeth Taylor:
........Elizabeth owns a spectacular, square-cut emerald and diamond necklace with matching earrings, yet all her jewelry is not grandiose. Among her favorites are a group of 24 Olga Tritt-designed gold bangles, each hung with collector’s-item British coins from Victorian times up through the rare commemorative medal for King Edward VIII.
Olga Tritt, famous Expert on Precious Stones, Says Her Happiest Moment Comes when She Brings Together Right Person and Right Jewel
By Ida Bailey Allen
Since the beginning of time man has made things with which to adorn himself — and his wife. And we of the twentieth century have
no less an appreciation of these things. In fact, there is only one danger accompanying the jewelry of this age — and that is that people often come to value it merely because it spells riches and success to own a jeweled bracelet or a cameo rather than because of any really artistic value. To many the enormity of a diamond is more important than the way it is set, or its appropriateness for the wearer. The semi-precious stones, which are often infinitely beautiful, if worked into designs by the appreciative hands of a real artist in the craft, are often disregarded by women because they are not educated to their beauty.
Siberian Amethysts Set in Gold, 18th Century
To many people gems mean no more than glitter. If a setting of a stone does not bring out the maximum illumination, it is considered a loss. But how pathetic that is — and in what poor taste!
Because I feel so strongly that this art of jewelry making is not half understood, I asked Miss Olga Tritt, who is one of the most distinguished women in this field — and has pulled herself up to her present authoritative position by her own bootstraps, as the saying goes, to broadcast for the National Radio Home-Makers Club.
Miss Tritt was born in Russia and comes from a family of goldsmiths. But in her youth, there was no opportunity as a goldsmith or jewelry maker for a woman in Russia — and so, when she was still quite young, she came to our counttry. Here she started quite at the bottom of the ladder. A good artist, she was also a fine craftsman, with a great respect for acquiring a definite working knowledge in
her chosen field. And so no detail was too small or too hard to be fascinating to her. To gain knowledge, she worked on the bench in a factory, but as soon as she felt sure that she had learned all she could, she stepped out, with little or no capital — but with that enormous courage that some people have — and started in business for herself.
Because she knew her field, and because she had something real to offer the world — original work and authoritative advice and appraisal on antique jewelry — she has been a success. She has become, as well, one of those rare figures — a person who makes few gestures to attract people to her, but to whom connoisseurs, as well as every sort of person who loves beauty, nevertheless find their way. She not only makes lovely jewelry herself, but she has been responsible for bringing into being the famous jewelry collections
of several wealthy people.
Miss Tritt has a theory which seems very right — even very important to me — and that is, that jewelry is entirely individual. In most
cases it should be made especially for the one who is to wear it. Some people, for instance, cannot wear rubies well; for others they
become a part of their natural color scheme and personality.
Although Miss Tritt is one of the leading authorities on pearls and diamonds, she nevertheless honestly feels that there are quite inexpensive jewels that are just as beautiful. She has told me that she enjoys making a little ring that almost any woman can afford just as much as she does making the most costly.
When Miss Tritt spoke on the National Radio Home-Makers Club period she said: "Women in this generation have to make or help make a living in so very many cases. Many of them have real talents for various kinds of work, but they are often too shy, too fearful to
attempt to follow out their careers in these things independently.
"But you can accomplish almost anything— there are only two requisites. First, you must know the work you want to engage in — from every point, and in every detail. And then you must not be afraid to venture to compete with those who are already established.
"I love the gems themselves. Therefore, I endeavor to bring out their beauty, warmth and color just in the way that nature endowed it. One of my most famous pieces is made from a natural emerald prism, just the way it came from the mine. I combined its dignified splendor with a visualization of the modern skyscraper. I combined pearls, and other precious stones to give the effect of the setbacks of the modern towering building, and in indicating the idea of windows and so on. Finished, it is a pendant to be worn at the end of
a jeweled chain. You see, by using the emerald in its untouched condition it has complete individuality — for in nature, of course, no two things are ever exactly alike.
Miss Tritt and two pearl divers ready for a day's work
"I think one of the things I love most in my work is when I go to the distant pearl fisheries myself, to find the treasures of my art. I work among the men, watching them as they bring up the ; shells, and picking out the pearls that ; look finest to me right there on the spot.
"And I think of all things my favorite is the black pearl. I don't know of any gem with which nature has been so sparing in quantity and so generous in beauty. And because I have given my especial interest to this kind of pearl, I have come to be considered a connoisseur."
The Trow Copartnership and Corporation Directory of the Boroughs of Manhattan and Bronx City of New York for March 1914 lists Tritt R O (Rose O Skalmer, only) 366 5th Avenue.
Miss Olga Tritt, of New York, who has been traveling in Europe several weeks, is leaving Carlsbad for London to be at the Savoy until she sails this month from France for America.
Source: New York Herald Tribune - 1st September 1938
Miss Tritt does some very nice things in jewelry to match different frocks. If you have any stones of your own, she will design settings that are unique. Her prices run from $5.00 into the thousands.
Several exhibitions were featured at the annual Easter tea of the Arts and Crafts Society; modern metals and fabric furniture designed for sun room, yacht or patio by Donald Desky; a collection from abroad of English and Japanese handicrafts and modern jewelry which has just been shown at the Fogg Museum and at several modern university college centers; modern jewelry by Olga Tritt and rare old pieces from her collection; and a special showing of garden and fountain sculpture, on view in both the galleries and the garden court.
