Vtg Couture 1980s Snake Pin ~ JAMES ARPAD Pavee Swarovski Rhinestones

6" long silver swarovski rhinestone pin brooch. "James Arpad was “once an aspiring architect” who shifted to creating fashion accessories, as noted in Forbes magazine in 1987. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Steven Arpad, creating jewelry designs encrusted with Swarovski flat-backed rhinestones (often referenced as “crystals”) in a technique named “pavee.” He is most widely known for earring designs made using this technique sold in the late 1980s and early 1990s. James Arpad sold his jewelry in his New York City showroom and upscale department stores such as I. Magnin on the West Coast and Sakowitz in Texas and Arizona. Numerous magazines, such as Cosmopolitan and Mademoiselle, also featured his pieces in spreads. Arpad’s work competed with other designers using the same type of pavee rhinestone technique during the period. These include Barbara Groeger, Bellini by FormArt, and Richard Kerr. Of these, Kerr is the most well-known among collectors. " -worthpoint