Hobé Cie Ltd (1927-2000)
Hobé Jewelry was founded in 1887 by Jaques Hobé in Paris. His son William Hobé emigrated to the united states and in 1927 he opened the American counterpart of his father’s company Hobé et Cie.
In the early 1930s Hobé became a rising star in the theatrical and film world, with costume jewelry that was well made, historically accurate, using high-quality materials such as platinum, semi-precious stones and vermeil. By the 1940s and 1950s Hollywood stars such as Bette Davis and Ava Gardner were wearing Hobé.
Most of the pieces created between 1930 and 1970 by Hobé et Cie were designed by the family. In the 1960s William’s sons, Donald and Robert ran the company until the 1980s when a grandson named James took over. The company was sold in 1999/early 2000, however, the Hobé mark is still in use.
