Nanna Ditzel was the most versatile and creative female designer that Denmark produced in the 20th century. Ditzel brought her talents to bear on a staggering array of forms — she designed furniture, jewelry, tableware and textiles; and she shaped her pieces using an equally astonishing variety of materials, from wood and wicker to silver, ceramics and fiberglass.
Born in Copenhagen, she trained as a cabinetmaker at the Royal Academy's furniture school — overseen by the great craftsman of the day, Kaare Klint — and graduated in 1943. Ditzel’s early work adhered to the classic Danish modernist tenets of simplicity, comfort and quality, and her armchairs, with their softly curved backrests are much in the spirit of Hans Wegner. Ditzel’s signature piece of that time is her Ring chair. Designed along with her husband, Jørgen Ditzel, a fabric maker, the chair has a semicircular padded armrest that seems to embrace the sitter. Ditzel began designing in wicker and in 1959 produced the Hanging chair. The piece, suspended from the ceiling by a chain, became a favorite for fashion shoots and may be as iconic of the 1960s as Eero Aarnio’s plastic Ball chair of 1963.
In 1956, Ditzel began designing for the Danish silverware firm Georg Jensen. In an association that lasted some 40 years, Ditzel would create organically shaped jewelry, barware, ceramic tableware and even tablecloths. Like her fellow Dane Verner Panton, Ditzel was not afraid to embrace industrial materials, and she began designing fiberglass chairs in the mid-1960s. Some of her most flamboyant work came toward the end of her career, in pieces such as 1989’s Bench for Two, with its shocking Op-art finish, or the Trinidad chair of 1992, with it’s sunburst-like, cut-though backs. Such feats of creativity were a fitting coda to one of the most imaginative, prolific and remarkable women of modern design.
Nanna Ditzel for Georg Jensen Design Sterling Silver Brooch
By Nanna Ditzel
Located in Arnhem, NL
A designer brooch designed by Nanna Ditzel for Georg Jensen numbered 326. The brooch is made of sterling silver. The brooch was created in 1956, this minimalist sterling silver brooc...
Sterling Silver
Large Crystal Gold Gilt Metal Flower Brooch
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Impressive three dimensional large crystal flower brooch with a gold tone stem and leaves.
Crystal, Gilt Metal
$275
W 0.96 in D 0.3 in L 2.07 in
Antique Art Deco Marcasite Silver Openwork Brooch with Blue Center Stone
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Art Deco rectangular brooch featuring a filagree openwork design with a blue glass stone in the center. It is marked 935 silver probably...
Marcasite, Silver
CoCo Chanel Gripoix Glass Poppy Brooch
By Maison Gripoix for Chanel
Located in Riverdale, NY
Unusual CoCo Chanel Maison Gripoix poured glass enamel poppy brooch. Hand made of cast ruby glass enamel petals and pale emerald glass leaf on a naturalistic bark textured stem. The...
Gold Plate, Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Gilt Metal
Early Gripoix for Chanel Renaissance Pendant Brooch
By Maison Gripoix for Chanel
Located in Riverdale, NY
Early Maison Gripoix for Chanel articulated Renaissance pendant brooch circa 1960. Of Gripoix poured glass enamel in emerald and ruby, glass beads, cut crystal rondelles and faux baroque pearls set...
Gold, Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Gilt Metal
Chanel Cruciform Byantine Brooch, Property of Coco Chanel
By Coco Chanel /Maison Goossens
Located in Riverdale, NY
Chanel's appropriation of Byzantine and Renaissance forms continued throughout her career, often in the form of oversized cruciform brooches and pendants. This one is set in bronz...
Gold Plate, Bronze, Gilt Metal
Chanel Baroque Pearl Pendant Brooch
By Chanel
Located in Riverdale, NY
Chanel uses oversized handmade pearls for this pendant brooch of gilded bronze with paste accents by Goossens. The rococo bar brooch has a loop from which ...
Chanel Dog Tooth Pearl Flower Brooch
By Maison Gripoix for Chanel
Located in Riverdale, NY
Chanel's sapphire poured glass, paste and dog tooth pearl brooch. The central motif, very classic in the Chanel iconography is mounted atop triangular ...
Silver Plate, Bronze, Enamel
Pair of Blue Enamel Sterling Butterflies from Norway
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Large Butterfly measures 1.12" x .73". It has a black enamel body and beautiful blue wings. Smaller Butterfly measures .66" x .58". It has blue enamel wings with a sterling body. ...
Sterling Silver, Enamel
$250
W 3.5 in D 0.42 in L 3.5 in
Large Judaica Israel 40th Anniversary Gilt Sterling Silver Dove Brooch 1988
Located in Miami Beach, FL
3.5" long by 3.5" sterling silver brooch commemorative piece celebrating Israel's 40th Anniversary from 1988. The brooch features a gold plated stylized #40 accented by a dove, leav...
Sterling Silver
Classic Chanel Bar Brooch
By Chanel
Located in Riverdale, NY
A twisted gilt wire with a faux pearl cabochon. Chanel has been photographed often in variants of this brooch. Simply iconic and timeless like its creator. Executed by Goossens works...
Chanel Renaissance Quatrefoil Brooch
By Chanel
Located in Riverdale, NY
Chanel renaissance style brooch quatrefoil in form of turquoise pate de verre and multiple pearls. This style of brooch was one of Chanel's "Fords" ...
Bronze
Modernist Brass Coil Sterling Silver Circle Brooch
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Mexican sterling silver circle within an open circle brooch with a brass wire coil accent. Marked "Mexico 925" on back
Silver, Sterling Silver, Brass
Georg Jensen Gold and Star Ruby Stylized Shell Brooch
By Nanna Ditzel
Located in New York, NY
A gold stylized shell form brooch set with a cabochon star ruby, in 18k. Nanna and Jorgen Ditzel for Georg Jensen, #1328. Denmark
Ruby, 18k Gold