The attention to detail and fine craftsmanship of Lampl’s jewelry lent itself perfectly to charms. In these lovely miniatures, Walter Lampl achieved some of his most remarkable technical feats. Another undated newspaper clipping reports that Walter Lampl was granted the "sole authorization by the New York World’s Fair Corporation to manufacture the trylon and perisphere [charm] with the view of Democracy or ‘The City of Tomorrow’ seen through [a] tiny crystal in [the] sphere." A second fantastic charm developed for the 1939 World’s Fair was called "Tomorrow’s Heirloom, the Theme Charm."
Photo by Robert DayCourtesy of Milky Way Jewels
This piece is reported to have been a "tiny movie camera 1/2 inch high" with a glass lens through which one looked to see "25 views of ‘Mr. Whalen’s extravaganza-on-the-Flushing-Meadows’." (sic) The patent for this moving picture charm was granted in 1939.
Walter’s fondness for charms extended to his personal life, as well. His beloved wife, Sylvia (whom he called "Toots"), wore bracelets heavily laden with the best Lampl charms. Walter also made special charms for Sylvia, often engraved with private messages. Many of the romantic charms later sold to the general public were first inspired by these love tokens for his wife, one lovely example being a wind-up music box charm which plays "I Love You Truly."
It was in 1938 or 1939, about the time Lampl was granted the exclusive rights to produce the very lucrative world’s fair souvenir charms, that he moved his showroom uptown to prestigious 5th Avenue.
From this prime location he expanded his distribution network. The years of hard work, dedication to quality products, and respectful relationships with consumers, employees, and colleagues had paid off for Walter Lampl.
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