Lost wax cast duplicates of his originals were made; regionally resold in wholesale to retail fine jewellery shops, in larger towns and cities. Resellers were across western US who ordered these unique AK Theme characterized charms and the Warburton brand line of Alaskan gold and gold nuggeted jewellery; considered vintage antique and rare now. (tiny float planes; animals, old style railroad trains; billikans. etc)

These among dozens of other small representations. There were two gold jewelry manufacturers in the small town of Moose Pass AK from 1950/1970; one maker’s name was Ken Warburton, the other, named Merle Reed. Reed brand was resold to other owners who made the product line in Seward Alaska.

The Warburton name had much larger line of unique and AK themed gold and gemstone jewelery; moved to Anchorage in late 1960s. His Originals were first handmade, then lost-wax casting was done, with rubber molds to make sprued multiples of items.

These waxes were later burned out of the casting matrix, and the hollow was used with centrifugal machine to force liquid gold into the unique shaped voids, made with investment plaster casts of each design.

Warburton had his manufacturing shop uptown in top floor of Frisco Bar, across from Captain Cook Hotel. Warburton continued; had partners including J.V Brown, Jr (whose father James Vic Brown, Sr, had first Zales store in Anchorage) and other investors. Hired skilled craftspersons, mostly women whose spouses worked in other Alaskan business; oil, timber, government; and trained additional persons to perform specific tasks in processes of manufacturing this extensive line of unique jewelry. And so a dedicated workforce of crafts persons were local residents. Some followed Warburton from the small towns of eastern Kenai Peninsula; when business sought to expand, and Warburton bought the building (now gone) near Captain Cook Hotel uptown.

There had been a memiographed catalog of this line, sent by mail to retail owners of businesses, so they could mail order the jewelery from Warburton. Even from small towns, it was viable good business. Between personal sales in remote AK towns, and on the few roadways, the sales persons had sample cases of actual product to show potential buyers of 200+ items of this line.

All that wholesale small industry, with independent resellers; to include JC Penney stores in Alaska, and Hawaii; yet few items such as ‘Alaska Charm Bracelets’ remain.

Saw one hefty bracelet with 40 charms, original; in a pawnshop in Eagle River business district.

The store owner wanted only $1,000. (Worth much more in gold; he was going to scrap it.) Said it was not selling; unadvertised in showcase. ~ And I could not afford $1K. However I talked about the uniqueness, rarity; and suggested better ideas to sell that to collectors. A researched auction?

The bracelet, double-linked (14K with 10 K+ 14K charms) was similar to one my sister was given; charms added each christmas and birthday, by our mother who crafted the KW line. These are rare and have upscale value beyond scrap.

Items from KW were copied by lost wax methods, so duplicates were smaller than originals. Memory fades; but gold hardware could remain almost indefinitely.
Take care & happy trails!🌻