Vintage Trifari Alfred Philippe Clip-Mates Duette Brooch Patent No. 2050804 Rhinestone Convertible Art Deco 1936
An exceptional and highly collectible example of Alfred Philippe’s innovative design for Trifari, this Clip-Mates Duette brooch is both a beautiful piece of Art Deco-inspired jewelry and a remarkable feat of American jewelry engineering.
Marked PAT. NO. 2050804 and CLIP-MATES, this brooch incorporates Alfred Philippe’s patented convertible mechanism, filed on April 29, 1936, and issued August 11, 1936 under U.S. Patent No. 2,050,804. The patent introduced a revolutionary sliding support bar with a resilient locking projection, allowing two independent dress (lingerie) clips to securely join together as one brooch, then separate again to be worn individually. This ingenious design became one of Trifari’s most celebrated innovations and remains highly sought after by collectors today.
Brilliant round and baguette-cut rhinestones form an elegant geometric Art Deco design that sparkles beautifully. Worn assembled as one dramatic brooch or separated into two matching dress clips, it is a versatile piece of vintage jewelry history.
Measurements
Assembled Brooch: Approx. 2.75” W x 1.25” H
Individual Dress Clips: Approx. 1.5” H x 1.25” W each
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Condition
This brooch is in good vintage condition with the patented Clip-Mates mechanism functioning smoothly, allowing the clips to separate and reassemble as originally intended.
Please note there is minor age-related dulling to some rhinestones along with slight darkening in areas. There may also be a few tiny accent stones missing; however, none are readily noticeable without close inspection or magnification. These condition details have been carefully reflected in the price.
Despite these signs of age, the brooch displays beautifully, sparkles well when worn, and remains an exceptional collector’s example of Alfred Philippe’s landmark 1936 patented Trifari design.
Jewelry History
This brooch features Alfred Philippe’s patented Clip-Mates construction described in U.S. Patent No. 2,050,804. In the patent, Philippe explains that the invention allows “a pair of so-called lingerie clips, which are capable of separate independent use and which may be assembled into a brooch.” The ingenious sliding bar design securely joins the two clips without additional locking hardware while allowing them to be easily separated for versatile wear.
Reference: Alfred Philippe, Brooch, U.S. Patent No. 2,050,804, filed April 29, 1936; issued August 11, 1936, United States Patent Office.
NOTE‼️‼️
Jewelry boxes and all other staging props shown are for display purposes only and are not included.‼️‼️
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