In 1924 Mauboussin, the historic French jewellery mason, expanded in the US opening a boutique on Park Avenue, New York and then shortly thereafter in Palm Beach, Florida. However following the Stock Market crash of 1929, the aggressively expanding firm found itself having to contract and by 1935 they had closed all their US premises.
Randolph J. Trabert & William Howard Hoeffer were young gemstone and jewellery buyers. Hoeffer believed Mauboussin's situation represented a unique opportunity to form a partnership within the US. Together they applied French jewellery design to American manufacturing and marketing techniques. One of their key designers was Gustave Toth who developed “the first truly American jewel style”. The Reflection line was introduced in 1938 and featured a distinctive move away from Art Deco jewellery to embrace a much bolder aesthetic.
Ultimately, the seventeen year partnership ended in 1953 as by that point Mauboussin had recovered from its financial difficulties of the 1930 and the impact of WWII. Hoeffer had also shifted away from the firm to focus on other projects and the collaboration suffered. The legacy of the joint venture was one of a dynamic reimaging of American jewellery and a unique output reflective of changing jewellery tastes.
