A Gold and Pearl Bracelet and Ring, attributed to Arthur King
View Similar Items
A Gold and Pearl Bracelet and Ring, attributed to Arthur King
About the Item
- Creator:
- Place of Origin:
- Date of Manufacture:c1970
- Condition:some pearls blemished and missing nacre (see photo)does not affect overall look of bracelet.Pearls not tested for natural color.
- Seller Location:Cincinnati, OH
- Reference Number:1stDibs: JU12040224322
Arthur King
Self-taught American jeweler Arthur King worked with baroque pearls, geodes, and raw semi-precious gemstones to create distinctive modernist jewelry during the mid-20th century.
Like many of the accessories that populate our jewelry boxes, the forms of King’s provocative vintage brooches, necklaces, rings and other jewels were inspired by the natural world, but the pieces’ metalwork is sculptural and shapely, resembling gnarled tree branches or the surface of an elm’s aging trunk.
King was born in New Jersey in 1921. He became interested in art at a young age and was fascinated with the lost-wax casting technique practiced by some sculptors. King taught himself the process using scrap metals, and his jewelry and objets d’art would come to share common ground with abstract art in the years to come.
While stationed overseas in the Merchant Marines in World War II, King began to work with metal and dabble in jewelry making, integrating sharks’ teeth, white scrap metal and whatever else he could find into his modest “art jewelry,” a term that has been used to describe adornments created by Alexander Calder, pioneering African American studio jeweler Art Smith, Andrew Grima and others over the years. Upon returning from the war, King continued to develop his skills — eventually opening his first shop in New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood.
King truly distinguished himself from other jewelers of the time — at his workbench, he shaped the brass and silver settings for his often unpolished, chunky stones that featured asymmetrical cuts and employed the age-old technique of lost-wax casting, which sees objects cast from wax models. His early pieces mainly featured silver settings, but his popularity soared once he began to craft jewelry in gold.
In 1961, King's work was exhibited at Goldsmiths’ Hall in London as part of the “International Exhibition of Modern Jewellery” and a year later, he opened his flagship store on Madison Avenue. His success allowed him to open more locations in London, Cape Cod, Havana, Miami and elsewhere.
King used a dizzying array of gems and other materials in his unconventional pieces. And as much as the jewelry of the 1960s featured eye-catching candy-colored stones, it was also an era of new textures and freeform gold settings, and King was at the forefront, creating audacious designs that contrasted sharply with the work of the world’s leading luxury houses.
King’s work has been celebrated at a range of institutions over the years including the Museum of Contemporary Crafts (now the Museum of Arts and Design), the Cultured Pearl Association of Japan, the Victoria and Albert Museum and more. His jewelry was exhibited at the Cincinnati Art Museum’s “Simply Brilliant: Artist-Jewelers of the 1960s and 1970s,” which opened in 2021.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Arthur King brooches, rings, necklaces and more.
- Gold and Azure Malachite Ring, circa 1970Located in Cincinnati, OHA 70's modernist 14k yellow gold and azure malachite* ring. The polished gold shank in the shape of a stylized pyramid,inset with a pair of azure malac...Category
Vintage 1970s Unknown Modernist Fashion Rings
MaterialsMalachite, 14k Gold, Gold
- Kutchinsky Carved Coral and Gold Starfish Ring 1972By Joseph KutchinskyLocated in Cincinnati, OH1970's fantasy ring by London Jeweler Joseph Kutchinsky.. The 18k 1 1/4"x 3/4" yellow gold textured ring with 3 stylized starfish. One, hand-carved in co...Category
Vintage 1970s British Artisan Cocktail Rings
MaterialsCoral, Gold, 18k Gold
- Rough-Cut Emerald and Ruby Nugget Statement Ring, 1970sLocated in Cincinnati, OHVintage 70's cocktail ring. The 1" x 3/4" 18k yellow gold freeform ring with four rough-cut Chatham rubies and surrounding a rough-cut Chatham emerald and...Category
Vintage 1970s Unknown Modernist Cluster Rings
MaterialsEmerald, Ruby, 18k Gold
- 1970s Gold Pearl and Diamond Freeform Pendant BroochBy Arthur KingLocated in Cincinnati, OHBrutalist 70s Pendant/brooch in the manner of Arthur King. The large 3 1/4 x 2" 14k tendril-like gold work freeform pendant/brooch with four freshwate...Category
Vintage 1970s American Modernist Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold
- Modernist Gold and Keshi Pearl and Diamond Convertible Brooch Necklace, 1960sLocated in Cincinnati, OHMid century modern choker necklace featuring an abstract gold plaque. The 1 1/2" gold abstract designed pendant/brooch enhanced with 8 round white diamonds on a detachable 13 1/2 twi...Category
Vintage 1960s Unknown Modernist Choker Necklaces
MaterialsNatural Pearl, 18k Gold
- Barbara Anton Modernist Peridot Diamond Platinum Cocktail RingLocated in Cincinnati, OHPeridot ring by Barbara Anton. The Platinum mount with a square shank supporting three emerald cut bright apple-green peridot enhanced with numerous whit...Category
Vintage 1960s American Modernist Cocktail Rings
MaterialsDiamond, Peridot, Platinum
- 14K Gold Bracelet with Pearls, 14k Gold Pearl Bracelet, Carlos Pearl BraceletLocated in ISTANBUL, TR14k gold bracelet with pearls - 14k gold pearl bracelet - Carlos Pearl Bracelet delicate bracelet created by hands from chain to the stone shapes. Good ideas of dainty bracelet or stackable bracelet gift for her. I used Mallorca Pearl...Category
2010s Turkish Art Deco Beaded Bracelets
MaterialsPearl, 14k Gold
$292 Sale Price / item30% OffFree Shipping - Pearl White Gold and Diamond BraceletLocated in Palm Springs, CAVintage bracelet with three strands of Japanese pearls tied with 18 karat white gold, with a clasp also in white gold and 0.4 karats of diamonds / Made in Italy 1950s Length 18cmCategory
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Bracelets
MaterialsPearl, Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
- Diamonds and Australian Pearls Beaded gold BraceletLocated in Marcianise, Marcianise (CE)SHIPPING POLICY: No additional costs will be added to this order. Shipping costs will be totally covered by the seller (customs duties included). PS: THIS POLICY IS NOT APPLICABLE ...Category
Late 20th Century Italian Retro Beaded Bracelets
MaterialsDiamond, Pearl, 14k Gold
- Pearl Bracelet with Gold and Coral ClosureLocated in Marcianise, Marcianise (CE)SHIPPING POLICY: No additional costs will be added to this order. Shipping costs will be totally covered by the seller (customs duties included). PS: THIS POLICY IS NOT APPLICABLE TO ITEMS WITH FIX PRICE, ITEMS AT AUCTIONS AND ONGOING PROMOTIONS. Vintage beaded pearl...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Retro Beaded Bracelets
MaterialsCoral, Pearl, Diamond, Gold, Silver, White Gold, Rose Gold, 9k Gold
- Yvel 18 Karat Gold and Pearl BraceletBy YvelLocated in Dallas, TXBracelet featuring baroque pearls with 18 Karat Gold crescents by Yvel. The pearls average 10.5 to 11.5 millimeters. The bracelet is adjustable in length from 7 to 8 inches and com...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Israeli Beaded Bracelets
Materials18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
- Pearl, 14kt gold and diamond braceletLocated in New Orleans, LAA very attractive three strand vintage bracelet with round high luster creamy white pearls. The bracelet is centered on an intricate 14kt gold floral motif clasp. The clasp is embell...Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Post-War Beaded Bracelets
MaterialsDiamond, Pearl, 14k Gold