Marcel Boucher, a jewelry designer, established the Marcel Boucher and Cie Company NY in 1937 where he produced creative and imaginative designed metalwork jewelry with high quality rhinestones. He was born in France and trained as an apprentice to Cartier in France and emigrated to the U.S. in the early 1920s. During the early 1930s, he designed jewelry for the Mazer Brothers in New York. Gold plating enamel was used with 3-dimensional designs using the 4 precious stone colors on jewelry of exotic birds, insects, and flowers that were also marked the design numbers of 3 or 4 digits into the astermolds. Imitation diamond (beautiful rhinestones), ruby, sapphire and emerald stones, and simulated pearls were used in the jewelry. Most Boucher jewelry is signed in metal. Mark: "Marboux with a copyright symbol" in 1938 - 1960s, "MB with a helmet icon" in 1940, and "Boucher with a copyright symbol with most jewelry pieces also containing a number" in 1950, ""EARRITE" for earrings since 1950, and later, his own name "Marcel Boucher". Boucher’s jewelry reflects the classical tradition with excellent metalwork, highly creative and imaginative designs using excellent rhinestones resembling gemstones that can be mistaken for the real thing. Marcel died in 1966 and was succeeded by his wife Sandra, who previously had worked for Tiffany, and, who had been working with him as a designer, took over the operation of the company that was now located in East Toronto, Canada. It is said that Marcel Boucher was possibly the greatest designer and producer of costume jewelry in America in the 1930s through 1971 and his jewelry pieces are prized for their baguettes and exciting colored stones. Boucher’s jewelry pieces have maintained excellent quality and workmanship. The 1940 Parisianna Mexican Silver jewelry line is highly prized and sought after by collectors. Also very collectible is the jewelry group of "Exotic Birds". In 1979, the company was sold to D’Orlan Industries of Toronto, Canada. The workmanship and details on the jewelry now being produced from the Boucher molds by D’Orlan is of high quality but does not measure up to the older pieces produced by Marcel Boucher. The jewelry pieces have a design inventory number and are now signed "d’Orlan".