Vintage Dankner To Us charm

Dankner charms are known for impeccable detail, whimsy, and high quality.

Henry Dankner and Sons founded the family jewelry company in Budapest, Hungary, in the 1930s. In 1944, Nazi forces confiscated the workshop and all of its assets. Although prewar pieces were largely melted down, the family survived.

In 1950, Henry and his sons, Robert and George, moved to New York City and reestablished the business at 71 West 47th Street, elaborating on their charms to include fine gemstones and movement. Dankner became famous for their patented mechanical “Living Charms.” The workshop grew to distribute fine gold jewelry and charms through luxury houses including Cartier, Harry Winston, and Van Cleef & Arpels. Pieces were typically stamped with “Dankner” or a “D” enclosed in a wreath.

In 2014, after six decades of operation, the family closed the business and donated all of their effects to the Fashion Institute of Technology. Vintage Dankner charms remain highly sought-after collector’s items at auctions today.

If you have something special to celebrate, do it with this marvelous champagne bottle, two coupes, and an engraved “To Us.”

Details

• Provenance: New York, circa 1960
• Metal content: stamped 14k
• Hallmarks: the maker’s well-known “D” mark encircled by a wreath
• Weight: 5 grams
• Measurements: 7/8 inch tall, not including its generous 5mm bail
• Excellent vintage condition