Stunning semi-precious stones set in sterling silver and bronze, beautiful ancient Roman glass taken from archeological sites, and sparkling gold and silver mixed with onyx and pearls are just some of the reasons why several Milwaukee stores have chosen to sell jewelry designed and made in Israel.
“This jewelry is different; it’s unique and not sold all over the city,” said Cindy Parsons-Eisenberg, owner of Montmartre, in a recent interview.
Amid the carefully chosen home, hostess and teen gift ideas that fill her Glendale store, Parsons-Eisenberg sells the work of more than five Israeli designers, including Malka Ronen, Avi Soffer and Angie Olami. Although Parsons-Eisenberg said that the Israeli jewelry is not in her top selling range, she added, “it is really wonderfully designed work” that makes for a unique gift.
Judy Kallberg, owner of Uncommon Items on the east side’s Brady St., agreed. Her store also sells Olami’s Roman glassware jewelry, as well as the electroplated gold and sterling silver work of Michal Golan and the necklaces, brooches, earrings and bracelets of Ayala Bar, probably Israel’s most successful jewelry designer to date.
Bar’s jewelry is one of Kallberg’s top-selling items. “It is really the most unusual and beautiful jewelry I have ever seen,” she said.
Bar’s work, which has been described as Mideast meets Byzantine meets Art Deco, is on the wish list of many Israeli women and is sold throughout the world — from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to London, Paris and New York. Bar’s collection has about 15 different color groups and consists of collages of non-precious metals covered in glass beads and rhinestones, which create a rich, mosaic-like look.
“I discovered her work at Milwaukee’s old Knickerbocker Hotel gift shop,” recalled Kallberg, who started her business selling giftware from kiosks in Bayshore and Mayfair malls. “The lady who owned the gift shop [at the hotel] introduced me to her work and I have been selling it for eight years now.”
Although the store sells jewelry, clothing and art from around the world, Kallberg said she is particularly impressed by the range and quality of Israeli-made jewelry. At trade fairs, she said she is always on the lookout for more work from Israel.
Waiting list
Mary Kay Martin, who owns Lise and Kato’s at Glendale’s Bayshore Mall with her husband, Ken Wargin, also stocks Bar’s work. She is quick to mention that Bar’s jewelry has a large following in Milwaukee.
“Her designs sell extremely well,” exclaimed Martin, adding that she has a long list of customers who must be notified as soon any new Bar designs arrive in her store. Bar adds a new collection of jewelry to her range every few months. One of her latest and clever designs is a necklace that converts into a bracelet.
“Bar mixes together vintage and contemporary designs, bronze and brass and uses brilliant colors,” said Martin, who also stocks a unique line of quality women’s clothing by Israeli designer Kadem.
“Bar’s jewelry appeals to women of all ages, from the early 20s through the 80s,” she added. And while many of Lise and Kato’s customers are Jewish, Martin said that Bar’s work has universal appeal.
Another local store that sells Bar’s designs is Accentrics in Mequon’s East Towne Square. Owner Amy Maxwell said she originally saw the jewelry at a craft fair and was drawn to its vibrant colors.
“Her work is glamorous without making too much of a statement,” said Maxwell. “It is very feminine.”
Bar’s pieces range in price, said Maxwell, with earrings costing between $40 and $80, bracelets around $100 and necklaces ranging from $100 to $250. The prices are comparable at all Milwaukee sellers.
Atypic, located in the Audobon Court shopping center on Brown Deer Rd. in Bayside, offers a more lavish range of jewelry designed by Israelis David Karavani and Ronni Ramot. Both artists use a mix of sterling silver and 14 karat gold in their work.
“I think their work is very unusual,” said Deborah Schmidt, who owns the store with her sister, Denise Schmidt Leahy. “The jewelry has a nice quality and feels comfortable and weighty to wear.”
However, added Schmidt, the importance of selling and wearing jewelry designed by Israelis is that it helps to enlighten and educate people about the Jewish faith. She said that as a Christian selling Jewish artwork and jewelry, she has learned a lot about Judaism and its symbols.
All of the Milwaukee store owners interviewed said they have had a very positive response to Israeli-designed jewelry, and are constantly on the lookout for work by other Israeli designers.
“People are just captivated by the color and the exquisite workmanship,” said Uncommon Item’s Kallberg.
And, Lise and Kato’s owner Martin added that she has already signed up for more of Bar’s jewelry and for the work of two other Israeli designers. “I have my name down for Michal Nagrin but have to wait for another store in the area to order too,” she said.
Ruth Eglash is a former assistant editor of The Chronicle who wrote this story during a visit to Milwaukee last month. She is currently the arts and entertainment editor of the Jerusalem Post.
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