One of the most extraordinary pieces made in Tiffany’s jewelry workshop at the turn of the 20th century is a pink tourmaline iris brooch signed by George Paulding Farnham (1859-1927). Audrey Friedman, co-founder with her husband, Haim Manishevitz, of the Primavera Gallery, bought it at Christie’s in the early 1990s for their private collection. This summer I was lucky…
Jewelry of the 1930’s was different from the earlier Art Deco, although there were still some geometric elements present. Yellow gold was now in favor, and the hard geometry of Art Deco became softer and more sensual. Gold was now highly polished, and often curved and fluted. Single geometric elements, such as cubes or balls were preferred to the mix of geometric elements found in much Art Deco. Citrines became very popular, as they added texture and sparkle without adding another color.
The early 20th century was perhaps unique in art history with regard to the number of radical stylistic changes that took place in a very short space of time. By 1925, we had gone from the organic, vegetal excesses of Art Nouveau to the geometric forms, sharp angles, bold colors and smooth, polished surfaces that characterize Art Deco — from…
One of the most fascinating aspects of Art Deco jewelry is the diversity of stylistic elements it encompasses. While one important aspect of Art Deco jewelry is rigorously geometric, and limited in color largely to white and black, with occasional touches of color, there is another major aspect of Art Deco jewelry that is full of curves, set with colorful…
It is a great art to die well and to be learnt by men in health…Place your coffin in your own eye: dig your own grave. -Jeremy Taylor, 1665 Death. It is an unavoidable aspect of all human life, but in our culture it is a taboo subject – discussed only when necessary, and even then, usually in a whisper.…
After the end of WW2, jewelry design underwent a revolution. Gone were the abstract curves and polished surfaces, texture of every kind was now in fashion, and naturalism a major theme. This new jewelry was refreshing and exciting.
Many wealthy and style-conscious American women continued to travel to Paris for their clothes and jewels, and important American jewelry houses opened offices or showrooms in Paris, both to keep their traveling clients faithful, and to keep up with the latest styles. In the matter of jewelry design, the French have always been regarded as leaders. The adjective ‘French’ has, for…
Salvador Dali’s Telephone Earrings Salvador Dali was one of the most successful artists in translating images from his paintings into jewelry. It was during the 1940’s and 1950’s that he actually created a body of jewelry based on his singular surrealist images. Some of the designs for these jewels were taken directly from his paintings. He wanted to transform the…
We consider ourselves very fortunate to own one of Dali’s most iconic pieces of jewelry – the Ruby Lips With Teeth Like Pearls. Dali took this cliché, and created a fabulous and sexy brooch. The full, curving lips are paved with beautiful rubies. The teeth, naturally, are very fine pearls. This brooch gets lots of attention. I wore it a…
While the term “cocktail” was first used in 1803, and the first Bartender’s Guide was published in 1862, the first recorded actual “Cocktail Party” was given by a Mrs. Julius Walsh of St Louis, Missouri in 1917. The idea obviously caught on, as Cocktail Parties (called Drinks Parties in England) became an increasingly fashionable way to consume spirits in public,…
We have recently acquired this amazing bracelet and we couldn’t wait to share it with you. In fact we will be bringing it with us to the International Fine Art & Antique Dealers Show next week (Oct 22-Oct 28). This cuff-bracelet is unique not just because of its design, but because of who designed it. Conceived by the renowned French…
The hot new trend being reported by fashion magazines is for women to get rid of the sweats and hoodies, and look smart and elegant in crisply tailored, simple dresses and suits, skirts and slacks with jackets, and, yes, a skirt or slacks with a nice blouse or sweater. I can’t help but think that this “old” style of dress…