What I learned today

all photos above (except the first one) via Mooivintage on Etsy

I am constantly surprised by what I learn each day while researching the vintage items I find for the shop. Today I turned over the gold tone leaf belt buckle shown at top to find that it was signed Mimi di N.

Curious, I googled the name to find this-

"Mimi di N: Mimi di Niscemi was born in Palermo, Italy. She studied at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Arts which allowed her to work part-time for a jewelry manufacturer who produced Schiaparelli jewelry. Her skill afforded her the opportunity to work with Dutch silversmith Rudolph Broom at the Wichita Art Association. She won a scholarship to the School of Applied Arts in Paris. In the 1950s she formed a partnership with Arnold Scaasi and produced pieces marked Jewels by Scaasi. In 1959 she joined Robert DeMario but soon moved to the New York bead house Brania where she made jewels marked Brania/Mimi di N. She opened her own jewelry firm in 1960 in New York City. She is still in business. and her pieces are marked Mimi di N. She married the grand nephew of Czar Nicholas II, Prince Alexander Romanoff. "

Another quick search through Etsy brought me to one avid collector of these Mimi di Niscemi belts buckles and her great shop!

Mooivintage

I particularly love the fox belt buckle and makes me want the one I saw at Anthro a lot less.

Don't you just love it when you find a new vintage craving and it is accessible, collectible and within your price range ;)