ART SMITH 1960 Sculptural Circles Dangle Earrings In .925 Sterling Silver
Pair of geometric earrings designed by Art-Smith (1917–1982).
This is fabulous and very rare pair of dangle earrings created in New York City by the artist and silversmith Arthur George "Art" Smith, back in the 1960's. The vintage earrings were designed as a left and right with geometric patterns of multiples circles, masterfully hand-crafted in solid .925/.999 sterling silver with polished and brushed finishes. The earrings are fitted on top, with comfortable movable French hooks for pierced ears.
Arthur George "Art" Smith
He was one of the leading modernist jewelers of the mid-20th century, and one of the few Afro-Caribbean people working in the field to reach international recognition. He trained at Cooper Union, NYU, and under Winifred Mason. Smith was born in Cuba, after his parents emigrated there from Jamaica. They moved to New York City when he was three years old. As an adult, Smith worked in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, running a shop there from 1946 until 1979 (shortly before his death). Smith was a gay Afro-Caribbean, and as a result was subject to attacks shortly after his store opened. A fan of jazz and modern dance, he was personally acquainted with musicians of the period including Lena Horne, Harry Belafonte, Eartha Kitt, Talley Beatty, and Duke Ellington. Smith died in 1982 of heart disease. During his life, Smith's work was featured in Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, and exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Crafts. Posthumously, Smith's work was the subject of an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum in 2008-2011 and is held in the permanent collection of the Cooper Hewitt Museum, Museum of Art and Design, and Boston Museum of Fine Arts. His papers and several of his pieces are part of the permanent collection and main galleries at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. One piece of Smith's sold for $22,000, and a cufflink collector told the New York Times that Smith's cufflinks were the most expensive pieces in his collection.
Country: New York City, United States.
Period: Modernist, 1960.
Artist: Art-Smith.
Materials: Solid .925/.999 Sterling Silver.
Weight: 18.30 Grams, (11.75 Dwt).
Measurements: 95 mm by 70 mm (3.75 x 2.75 Inches).
Hallmarks: Stamped with the maker's mark, the mark for the assay and warranty of the 18Kt gold and signed in cursive lettering as follows: "ART-SMITH .925".
Literature: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. "Art Smith". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 17 October 2015; Schon, Marbeth. "The Jewelry of Winifred Mason". Modern Silver. Archived from the original on 2015-05-20. Retrieved 2015-10-18; "From the Village to Vogue: The Modernist Jewelry of Art Smith". Brooklyn Museum. Retrieved 2015-10-18; Schrieber, Fran. "Review: From the Village to Vogue, The Modernist Jewelry of Art Smith". Modern Silver. Archived from the original on 2015-11-13. Retrieved 2015-10-18; "Art Smith | Necklace". The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
Collateral: This pair of Art Smith earrings is accompanied by a presentation jewelry box.
Condition: The overall condition of this pair of Art Smith earrings is excellent. Beside the little normal wear there is no damage to the silver and all parts are secured in the settings. This pair was carefully inspected to guarantee the condition & authenticity.
INVENTORY REF: E041026MSEN/.5425