Henry Dunay Pearl Earrings
Early 2000s American Contemporary Drop Earrings
South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold
Early 2000s American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
South Sea Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century American Artist Clip-on Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s American Stud Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
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Early 20th Century American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold
20th Century Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s French Artist Engagement Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s German Art Deco Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Ruby
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century American Revival Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
2010s Stud Earrings
Cultured Pearl
Vintage 1960s French Drop Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, Platinum
Vintage 1960s Wrist Watches
Stainless Steel
Late 20th Century American Modern Band Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s German Art Deco Choker Necklaces
Gold Plate
Vintage 1970s German Art Deco Chain Necklaces
Gold Plate
Vintage 1980s German Art Deco Choker Necklaces
Gold Plate
Late 20th Century French Artist Link Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl
20th Century Byzantine Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Recent Sales
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Pearl, White Diamond, 18k Gold
American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, Black Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Artist Drop Earrings
Diamond, Moonstone
21st Century and Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold
1990s American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s American Modern Stud Earrings
Freshwater Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century American More Earrings
Cultured Pearl, Platinum
20th Century American Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold
American Clip-on Earrings
Henry Dunay for sale on 1stDibs
Henry Dunay is one of the finest goldsmiths and jewelry makers of the 20th century. The seasoned American designer has for decades created exquisite jewelry by hand that is characterized by bold proportions and precise craftsmanship. Dunay’s breathtaking brooches, bracelets, rings and other accessories have garnered worldwide renown and — on the secondary market — are being reappraised by collectors as icons of contemporary design.
Dunay was born Henry Loniewski in Jersey City, New Jersey, and apprenticed for a downtown New York City jeweler named Rudolph Cacioli in his early teens. He spent a little less than seven years working under Cacioli, and set off to open his own business in 1956. He took on his mother's maiden name Dunay, believing his family name would be an obstacle to his success. At first, Dunay secured work designing pieces for other jewelers, including Harry Winston, one of the first figures in the field to recognize the branding power of lending glitzy fine jewelry for red-carpet events. As his skill set broadened, Dunay began handcrafting his own designs and built a name for himself.
Dunay’s business exploded thanks to the publicity around the De Beers Diamonds International Award he won in 1967. From then on, his fame grew and demand increased for his unique adornments, which feature distinctive metal finishes as well as blue sapphires, pavé set diamonds and a range of other gems. Dunay went on to win more awards from De Beers Diamonds and a wealth of other national and international awards throughout his career.
Dunay garnered acclaim for a sophisticated engraved-surface technique he calls Sabi, which draws on the traditional Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, and iconic figures such as Elizabeth Taylor, Nancy Reagan and Princess Diana all wore his elegant pieces for public appearances. At the 2003 Academy Awards, many celebrities donned Dunay’s Dove of Peace pin, commissioned by Global Vision for Peace and inspired by the work of Pablo Picasso. The designer is a member of the Gemological Institute of America and a past president of the American Jewelry Design Council. In 2009, he sold his company and later established H.D.D., Inc.
Find vintage Henry Dunay necklaces, earrings and other jewelry on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right Earrings for You
In the United States, ear piercing didn’t really become popular until the 1950s and ‘60s, but our desire for a dazzling pair of vintage earrings has deeper roots than that. In fact, wearing earrings actually goes back thousands of years, and you can find many tangible connections between now and then in how we continue to talk about these treasured accessories.
Women wore ornamental earrings — studs and hoops at the very least — in Ancient Egypt, which is home to mines that are among the earliest sources of emeralds in the world. Emerald earrings are highly prized today, and their quality lies in their rich, saturated color. The highest-quality emeralds are green or bluish-green. Earrings worn by the affluent in early Roman civilizations were set with precious stones such as diamonds and pearls, and a clean-looking pop of pearl on the front of the lobe is as timeless as ever. Hoop earrings are imbued with symbolism and cultural significance for many, and on view in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Ancient Near Eastern Art Gallery is a pair of simple gold hoops from Mesopotamia dating to between 2600 and 2500 B.C.
Today, ear piercing is very popular all over the world, and, as a result, it is difficult to overstate how much everyone pines for a good pair of earrings — modernist drop earrings, glamorous Victorian hoops, geometrically complex chandelier earrings, you name it. Sure, jewelry trends and the fashion darlings of social media come and go, but earrings have a staying power that seems impenetrable: The still-strong love affair between British royals and Cartier earrings is more than a century old, glossy 1970s hoops from legacy houses such as Bulgari and Van Cleef & Arpels remain the statement makers they’ve always been and although people have been stacking earrings for many moons, the allure of an expertly mismatched stack of charms and studs still feels fresh and new.
While there is no shortage of modern earring designs to choose from, the classics, like coral earrings, Art Deco–style earrings and diamond drop earrings are still heavy hitters. On 1stDibs, find a wide range of antique, new and vintage earrings today.