Kentshire Galleries
Ellen Israel and Marcie Imberman, along with their husbands, are
partners in Kentshire Galleries, Ltd. This prestigious sixty-five
year old firm has built its reputation on a world-class collection
of antique English furniture and antique, period and estate jewelry.
The same high standards guide both collections: exacting standards
of workmanship, authenticity and design. To the jewelry side Imberman
and Israel add an eye for modern fashion and their personal criteria
for wearability and timeless design.
They maintain premises in the heart of Greenwich Village where
furniture and jewelry are featured in period room settings. In 1989
they brought their fine antique and estate jewelry to Bergdorf Goodman
where they occupy a beautifully appointed boutique on the main floor.
The Kentshire collection embraces fine jewelry from the past, but
it is particularly strong in Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco pieces.
Their vintage costume jewelry is sought out by collectors and fashion-forward
women of all ages. Imberman and Israel realize that all jewelry is
a complement to fashion, and they take delight in pairing new clothing
trends with period jewelry from the past. They know that their clients
are stylish, successful women who purchase antique and estate jewelry
for its singular appearance and enduring design qualities. “I’ve
always thought the self-assured woman wants an individual look.” Israel
says. For them, the right piece of jewelry is as essential an accessory
as the right pair of shoes or handbag. “Jewelry shouldn’t
dominate what a woman wears, but its role can be vital in anchoring
a dress or dramatizing the look of a simple suit, “ says Imberman.
Israel and Imberman believe that one can collect jewelry at any level,
from “costume to Castellani,” and build up what they
call “a jewelry wardrobe.”
Ms. Imberman and Ms. Israel have appeared on television and have
lectured widely on antique jewelry: to the Costume Council of the
Los Angeles County Art Museum; to the American Society of Jewelry
Historians, and on board the QEII, among others. Their jewelry
has been on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibit From
Queen To Empress: Victorian Dress 1837-1877. Kentshire jewelry
has been featured in films and on the necks of some of the most famous
women in film, television and fashion.
For more information, please contact
Victoria Pace
917-678-2943
