With her playfully bold, nature-inspired pieces, Angela Cummings has left a lasting mark on the world of jewelry design. Full of movement and sensational color, her eye-catching collar necklaces, stud earrings and bracelets continue to be favored by red-carpet celebrities and tastemakers the world over.
Cummings was born in Austria in 1944, during a time when her country was being torn apart by war. At the age of three her family moved to America, where she was raised. Returning to her native country as an adult, Cummings studied art in Perugia, Italy, then went on to study jewelry design in Hanau, West Germany. She graduated with a degree in gemology, goldsmithing and jewelry design from Zeichenakademie in 1967.
Cummings returned to the United States after finishing her studies. She marched into legendary American luxury house Tiffany & Co. in New York City and asked for a job. Under the mentorship of Donald Claflin, a designer who’d previously worked for David Webb, Cummings became a respected in-house designer for the brand. Her named collection, Angela Cummings Exclusively for Tiffany & Co., debuted in 1974.
Cummings created sumptuous 18K gold accessories that were inlaid with coral, opal, mother-of-pearl, jade and lapis lazuli. Not unlike the work of Elsa Peretti, who signed an exclusive contract with Tiffany & Co. in 1974, Cummings’ designs — seashell necklaces, maple leaf pendants — drew on the shapes and forms of the natural world.
As her style continued to develop, Cummings integrated silver, precious gemstones and platinum into her work, creating exquisite juxtapositions by mixing the materials with wood and iron. Her pieces increasingly featured more movement-inspired elements — curling vines, crashing waves and billowing cloud forms — that hearkened to the rhythms of nature.
In 1982, People magazine featured Cummings' jewelry and the publicity launched her into the spotlight. Two years later, she established her own business, Angela Cummings Inc., and began to experiment with abstraction in her work, as well as allowing her surroundings in Japan, where she opened several boutiques, to inspire her adornments.
Cummings retired in 2003, making a brief comeback in 2013 to collaborate with Assael Jewelry, for which she created an exclusive line of cultured pearl jewelry.
Find vintage Angela Cummings earrings, necklaces, brooches and other accessories on 1stDibs.
Tiffany & Co. 'Modern Shell' Pattern Hollow Handle Bar Knife by Angela Cummings
By Angela Cummings, Tiffany & Co.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine signed vintage designer bar knife. By Angela Cummings for Tiffany & Co. In the 'Modern Shell' pattern. In sterling silver with a hollow handle with in the form of a shell o...
Sterling Silver
ANGELA CUMMINGS 1983 For Arita Set of 3 Twisted Candlesticks In White Porcelain
By Arita, Angela Cummings
Located in Miami, FL
Set of Twisted Candlesticks designed by Angela Cummings. This is a beautiful and rare set of three table candlesticks designed in New York City by the celebrated artist-designer Ang...
Porcelain
ANGELA CUMMINGS 1983 For Arita Pair Of Twisted Shakers In Gilded Porcelain
By Arita, Angela Cummings
Located in Miami, FL
Pair of twisted table shakers designed by Angela Cummings. A beautiful and rare pair of table shakers designed in New York City by the celebrated artist-designer Angela Cummings in ...
Gold
Topkapi Set of 6 Porcelain Plates Made in Italy
By Les Ottomans
Located in ROCCAVIVARA CB, IT
The magical atmosphere of the hidden places of the Ottoman Sultans this is what this collection represents Come and join in this mythologigal then uniq...
Porcelain
$2,700 / set
H 2 in Dm 3 in
Piero Fornasetti Gilded Porcelain Appetizer Bowls Barware Set Of 6, 1960's
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in North Miami, FL
These fabulous small Mid-Century Modern Piero Fornasetti vintage appetizer small serving bowls are porcelain with gilded gold edges, bottom and ins...
Gold
Ikat Porcelain Dessert Plates - Set of 6, Made in Italy
By Bertrando Di Renzo
Located in ROCCAVIVARA CB, IT
Ikat patterns are an integral part of our colorful world, celebrating the beauty of this timeless design. Inspired by its rich heritage, we’ve transformed some of our most iconic Ikat designs into a vibrant porcelain plate collection. Handmade in Italy, this set of 6 plates is perfect for adding a joyful, playful touch to your tableware collection or as stunning decorative wall pieces. These plates are designed to bring elegance and delight to every dining experience. Made in Italy 100% Porcelain Hand-applied decal Set of 6 Ikat Plates...
Porcelain
$8,116 / set
H 28.35 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in
Pair of Mosque Porcelain Lamps with Gilded and Enameled Floral Patterns
Located in Marbella, ES
Islamic religious buildings traditionally were lit with glass lamps, generally called mosque lamps, that hung from chains.
Porcelain
$230
H 1.02 in W 7.88 in D 6.25 in
Vintage Japanese Porcelain Tray Arita Sometsuke Blue White Birds Decor
By Arita
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage rectangular porcelain tray features a traditional Arita style blue and white decor with motif of small bird sitting on flowering tree branches in Sometsuke decoration techniq...
Ceramic, Porcelain, Pottery
Tiffany & Co Crystal Champagne Flutes Glasses, Pair
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New York, NY
A pair of Tiffany and Co. Champagne flutes/glasses, circa late-20th century. A beautiful pair from luxury American company Tiffany and Co. Markers' mark on bottom of both 'Tiffany an...
Crystal
$1,200 / set
H 11 in W 8.75 in D 8.75 in
Pair of Thai Benjarong Lidded Porcelain Jars Vibrantly Hand Painted and Gilded
Located in Morristown, NJ
20th c., a stunning pair of large Thai Benjarong lidded porcelain jars, vibrantly enameled by hand and embellished with 18 carat gold. One marked on und...
Gold, Enamel
Fornasetti “Plate n.16 Calendario “ Porcelain 1983 Italy
By Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
Fornasetti “Plate n.16 Calendario “ porcelain 1983 Italy.
Porcelain
$2,500 / set
H 5.25 in Dm 4 in
Pair of Tiffany American Modern Classical Sterling Silver Chalice Goblets
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Modern Classical sterling silver chalice goblets. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1960. Deep and wide-hemispheric bowl on knopped upward tapering stem flowing into rais...
Sterling Silver
Very Rare Tall Sterling Silver-Mounted Tiffany & Co. Decanter
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New York, NY
Very rare, tall, sterling silver-mounted Tiffany & Co. "wheel-cut" glass decanter (Glass is signed Stevens & Williams, founder of Steuben Glass in 1903; silver mount is signed Tiffan...
Sterling Silver
$165
H 0.25 in W 0.625 in D 8.25 in
Mid-Century Modernist Sterling Silver Bar Knife signed Tiffany & Co.
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New York, NY
This elegant and minimal Mid-Century Modernist Sterling Silver Bar Knife signed Tiffany & Co. originates from the United States, Circa 1960. This highly functional piece features a b...
Sterling Silver
$1,800 / set
H 9 in Dm 9 in
Collection of Tiffany Crystal in the Rock Cut Pattern, Ice Bucket and Much More
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Buchanan, MI
Collection of Tiffany crystal in the rock cut pattern. Ice bucket, five large bowls, five smaller bowls and five plates.
Crystal
Angela Cummings Set Three Miniature Gold Leaf Hand-Painted Insect Vases
By Angela Cummings
Located in Westport, CT
Angela Cummings set of three miniature hand-painted gold leaf vases in original box with label, hand-painted one with ants, one with butterfly and ...
Enamel
Sold
H 1 in W 1 in D 1 in
Angela Cummings Designer for Tiffany Sterling Silver Flatware Set Modern Shell
By Angela Cummings
Located in Big Bend, WI
Unique Angela Cummings sterling silver dinner flatware set with fabulous modern shell motif, differing shells, 40 pieces. This set includes: Eight dinner size knives, 6 - 9 3/4" & 2 ...
Sterling Silver