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Couture Martin Margiela 1994 Artisanal Line0 Upcycled Socks Overdyed Pullover
By Maison Martin Margiela
Located in Chicago, IL
In 1994, Martin Margiela did something unprecedented with his luxury fashion brand Maison Martin Margiela, which was to debut a collection with no new designs but rather a new-for-it...
Category
1990s Belgian Pullovers
AncientGreekStyle Sculptural OpenWork BezelSetLapisCabochon Handmade Gold Ring
Located in Chicago, IL
Sold as a vintage ring in Greece, this ancient-style gold-smithed sculptural open-work band features at its raised end a bezel-set lapis cabochon, while the other end of the by-pass ...
Category
20th Century Greek Classical Greek Cocktail Rings
Materials
Lapis Lazuli, Yellow Gold, Gold, Gilt Metal, Bronze
Antique NativeAmerican LeatherBraidedSeamsStrapsNeckline Sleeveless Hide Dress
Located in Chicago, IL
This antique Native American brown chamois suede leather sleeveless chemise dress, which was handmade during the "reservation era" between 1870-1930, is made from two soft supple ani...
Category
Early 20th Century American Chemises
CommeDesGarcons 1997 AdultPunk Transparent EcruOrganza WhiteSilk Blouse Jacket
By Rei Kawakubo Comme Des Garcons, Comme des Garçons
Located in Chicago, IL
1997 arguably marked the pinnacle of Japanese Comme des Garcons founder and fashion designer Rei Kawakubo's collection debuts when she introduced deconstructed asymmetrical "lumps and bumps" padding and transparent tops that both deformed and revealed female bodies. For her Fall/Winter 1997 "Adult Punk" collection, she debuted this transparent ecru organza pullover dinner jacket or evening oversized blouse, whose bodice and lower long sleeves are color-blocked with white textured silk-blend appliques and lined in white tulle that is hand-sheered above the outer hem. A recent Parisian exhibition at Musee de la Mode, "1997 Fashion...
Category
1990s Japanese Dinner Jackets
Lumps&Bumps 1997 RunwayLook11 2Piece CommeDesGarcons SheerTop & DrapedSkirtDress
By Comme des Garçons, Rei Kawakubo Comme Des Garcons
Located in Chicago, IL
In Comme des Garcons founder Rei Kawakubo's iconic Spring/Summer 1997 collection titled Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body, which was nicknamed "lumps and bumps", this navy two-piece set of transparent pullover long-sleeve net tulle blouse and convertible translucent bias-cut draping long skirt or tube dress debuted on the runway in "Look 11" among the Vogue coverage (partly concealed under a navy open robe). Significantly, our pair repeats the fashion show's "Look 1" theme that was identified by TheMet museum curators as "clothing-absence/body-presence" with a see-through symmetrical top revealing breasts and a feminine bias-cut draped asymmetrical skirt. Variations of this silhouette were modeled in navy, or red like our primary photo. Many had net-encased organ-shaped down pillows freely inserted into net underlays by the designer to shockingly distort the silhouettes, such as with two kidney-shapes on the back or a tube across the front of the hips.
This set will likewise accommodate such padding that is apparent in the Vogue photos...
Category
1990s Japanese Dress and Coat Ensembles
Bally New Custom Fur Lined Vintage Leather Vasano US7 1/2 Wide Brown Low Pumps
By Bally
Located in Chicago, IL
In excellent like-new condition since they were custom-made in the late 20th Century, these Bally luxurious shearling-lined leather Vasano-model shoes that are equivalent to a U.S.-size wide 7 1/2 are a dark brown classic Oxford-style slip-on stacked-heel low pump. Ideal for inclement weather or thicker socks, this pragmatic durable pair has non-slip soles in perfect condition below the leather insole, which is branded like the interior tag to indicate they were "Made In Switzerland".
For nearly a century, the Swiss company designed made-to-measure shoes such as this pair, including hiking shoes...
Category
Late 20th Century Swiss Shoes
HaskellStyle PostWarII GlassLampworkPearlBeads GreenMetallic Filigree Necklace
Located in Chicago, IL
This is an excellent mid-century Japanese reproduction of a Miriam Haskell glass green-tone and metallic three-strand choker necklace. It features the American designer's characteristic use of colorful hand-crafted lampwork, seed and faux-pearl beads, along with Parisian-style silver-gilt metal filigree caps and findings.
A supplier of Haskell's post-WWII Japanese-made beads and findings also made its own unbranded designs using the same materials. Whereby "Japan" is discreetly stamped on the hook that enables fastening along the extension chain.
The faux-nacre coating of the pearls has partly disappeared on only the gold-accented smallest round beads. This does not detract from the necklace because similar irregular patterns with a mix of colors are among the multiple styles and sizes of beads (see closeups). The many colors include gold, ecru, brown, seafoam green, olive, mint, and vivid green.
If you want the look of an authentic Haskell necklace for a fraction of the price, then you may want this piece.
Otherwise, we pride ourselves on being able to identify unsigned Haskell...
Category
Mid-20th Century Japanese Baroque Multi-Strand Necklaces
Materials
Pearl, Silver, Mixed Metal, Gold
Antique Japanese WovenSilk PaintedCeramicOjimes Beadwork Embroidery Inro
Located in Chicago, IL
This rare antique Edo-period (1615-1868) Japanese handmade inro is a curved lozenge-shaped hand-dyed woven-silk hard carrying-case container sheath that features intricate embroidery with rock-crystal or glass beadwork and thin leather-wrapped thread appliques. For its "Kimono Style" exhibition, TheMet museum noted: "the dying, weaving, and embroidery techniques for which Japan is famed reached their peak of artistic sophistication during the Edo period."
On the burgundy finely-braided silk obijime cord that suspends the inro hang adjustable ojime fasteners of glazed earthenware, which are hand-painted with underglaze and overglaze enamels. The imagery includes signature-like branches, mountains, and a pine tree. Each knotted end of the cord dangles from the bottom of the inro with two rice-paper tubular beads.
We could not find any Japanese beads...
Category
18th Century Japanese Decorative Objects
AntiqueArtNouveau 1920s RedPouredGlass Czech Neiger BrassFiligree Dangle Brooch
Located in Chicago, IL
In the 1920s in an Art-Nouveau style, Czech costume-jewelry designer Max Neiger created this brass dangle brooch that features three different shapes of ...
Category
Vintage 1920s Czech Art Nouveau Brooches
Materials
Brass, Mixed Metal
Trifari Philippe1940s JellyBelly & PearlFlowers GoldPendants SignedChainNecklace
By Alfred Philippe for Trifari
Located in Chicago, IL
Among the most in-demand designs by Trifari artistic director Alfred Philippe were his flora and "jelly belly" fauna jewelry from the 1940s. Both iconic styles can be mixed as the go...
Category
Vintage 1940s American Modern Pendant Necklaces
Materials
Pearl, Gold, Vermeil, Yellow Gold
Antique ProngSetWhiteJade GoldMilgrainFiligree ConvertibleBrooch RingTop Pendant
Located in Chicago, IL
Known as "mutton fat", a natural milky white tremolite nephrite jade 10mm-long hand-carved oval cabochon is prong set on this antique Edwardian-period convertible tiny brooch...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Materials
Jade, Gilt Metal, White Gold
Couture DiorDesigner WesternGermany MaxMuller TealCrystal GoldGilt Textural Ring
By Max Müller Kaufbeuren
Located in Chicago, IL
With an overlapping ring interior and textured exterior like raw silk that matches Christian Dior rings marked "Chr. Dior Germany" from the late-1950s, this bold modernist yellow-gol...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Modernist Cocktail Rings
Materials
Crystal, Yellow Gold, Gilt Metal
Vendome GiltLeavesBranch GoldFilagree Handwired BlackGlass Crystals ClipEarrings
By Vendome
Located in Chicago, IL
These post-WWII Vendome hand-wired clip earrings each feature a spray of yellow-gold gilt-metal leaves with a stylized branch and five prong-set clear crystals among a cluster of fac...
Category
Vintage 1940s American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Materials
Crystal, Gilt Metal, Yellow Gold
Cat'sEye 21 BallCut Moonstones Antique Victorian 14KGoldFill TubularLinkNecklace
Located in Chicago, IL
All featuring white cat's-eyes, the 21 gray 3mm ball-cut moonstones of this necklace are beaded symmetrically on this antique choker between stations of shiny 14-karat gold-filled tu...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Arts and Crafts Choker Necklaces
Materials
Moonstone, Cat’s Eye, 14k Gold, Gold-filled
Antique StarSapphires BezelSet 17mmHighDome Cabochons WhiteGold Link Bracelet
Located in Chicago, IL
Three violet purple star sapphire high-dome oval cabochons that transition from transparent to opaque are bezel set in this antique white-gold chain link tennis bracelet made during ...
Category
Vintage 1910s American Belle Époque Tennis Bracelets
Materials
Star Sapphire, White Gold, Gold, Palladium
1921 Early ArtDeco SterlingSilver BlackOnyx Marcasite Signed Rectangular Ring
Located in Chicago, IL
On this antique early Art Deco-period solitaire cocktail ring, a long rectangular mirror-cut black onyx is surrounded by 28 faceted marcasite stones. The American silver ring, whose ...
Category
Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Materials
Marcasite, Onyx, Sterling Silver
ArtDeco c1925 Bakelite TriColor RedBlueGreen Carved Ribbon Bow BrassPin Brooch
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique ArtDeco-period Bakelite rare three-color ribbon bow hand-blended-and-carved brooch. Given the colors, narrow style, texture and affixed brass pin...
Category
Vintage 1920s Unknown Art Deco Brooches
Materials
Brass
Art Nouveau Azurmalachite MilapillasMine Cabochon MexicanSilver Ring
Located in Chicago, IL
First appearing like an intense green-blue black opal without the flash, this antique natural azurmalachite oval-cut 10mm cabochon in a bezel setting f...
Category
Antique Early 1900s Mexican Art Nouveau Solitaire Rings
Materials
Malachite, Sterling Silver
Antique FabergeStyle 3AquamarineCabochons 4GreyDiamonds BezelSet Platinum Brooch
Located in Chicago, IL
This antique Victorian platinum filigree bar-brooch or tie-pin from the Edwardian period with Faberge-style elements features bezel settings with three square-cut 10mm sugarloaf aqua...
Category
Antique Early 1900s European Edwardian Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Aquamarine, Black Diamond, Platinum
Trifari AlfredPhilippe 1948-1954 RhodiumPlated Tassel Chain FrenchClip Earrings
By Alfred Philippe for Trifari
Located in Chicago, IL
These mid-century platinum-like silver tassel chain drop earrings were designed by Trifari artistic director Alfred Philippe in an Art Deco style that recalls his earlier work for Ca...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Drop Earrings
Materials
Rhodium, Silver, Base Metal
Antique France Fruit Lampwork Carved Glass Beads TuttiFrutti Brass Clip Earrings
Located in Chicago, IL
These antique early-20th-Century French carved lampwork glass bead earrings depict berries and leaves. On each earring, this fruit salad dangles on a single ring that drops from a round convex green "stem", which is attached to miniature brass clips...
Category
Early 20th Century French Artisan Drop Earrings
Materials
Brass
Vintage Navajo Modern BezelSetOnyx GoldFilledTop DoubleSilverBand Solitaire Ring
By Navajo
Located in Chicago, IL
This vintage Navajo modern minimalist solitaire two-finger ring, which was handmade by an unknown Native American, features a sterling-bezel-set black onyx cabochon on one end of a linear-textured yellow gold-filled asymmetrical flat narrow top, which will span nearly three fingers over a soldered silver double band. One band is US-size 8, the larger one is 8.5.
On the underside of the flat top, the zigzag mark of a lightning/bolt or snake/serpent may be an individual artist or that of a Native American trading post, which acquired such jewelry when members of the community pawned pieces when in need of goods or credit. Old Pawn jewelry...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Modern Solitaire Rings
Materials
Onyx, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver, 14k Gold
ArtNouveau Antique ArtistSigned Peacocks Set HandWroughtMetals Earrings & Brooch
By Louis Comfort Tiffany
Located in Chicago, IL
This antique Art-Nouveau period American signed metalsmithed set features intricately etched, chased, chiseled and pierced curvaceous peacocks in unusual copper-gilt silver. "Sterlin...
Category
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Brooches
Materials
Sterling Silver, Copper
CommeDesGarcons 1999 RunwayLook12 BiasCut TranslucentSatin SalmonPink Maxi Dress
By Rei Kawakubo Comme Des Garcons, Comme des Garçons
Located in Chicago, IL
In an atypical Japanese-dye color for Rei Kawakubo, in 1999 she designed this translucent salmon-pink bias-cut satin sleeveless maxi dress evening gown for her brand Comme des Garcons, which debuted on a model at Paris Fall Fashion Week as "Look 12" among the Vogue photo-coverage of her Spring/Summer 2000 collection (see our last photo of the ensemble).
The unusual V-neck shape creates a deep central drape in the front of the unlined dress that prevents the synthetic semi-transparent fabric from clinging to the torso. To continue to flatter the curvy shape of the lower body like the bias-cut enables, such as while walking, Kawakubo added an additional piece of fabric with a circling angular seam that rises from the wider hem.
With the exception of the brand tag, all others were cut off by the sole owner to eliminate bulk and visibility through the dress. If the buyer would prefer, the fabric can be made shinier and completely smooth with professional pressing.
If the buyer would like to create a layered ensemble with this gown as seen on the runway, we have other textural colorful tops to choose from with over-dyed unique appliques from this same Spring/Summer 2000 collection. However, we think our backless-mannequin photos show that this minimal dress...
Category
Early 2000s Japanese Evening Gowns
CatEyeMoonstones Antique PinkTranslucentBallCut 14MM Sterling LeverClip Earrings
Located in Chicago, IL
Rare wide cat's-eye, translucent, blue-tone strong pink, near-spherical, 14mm moonstones with misty lavender-white schiller are showcased on these antique sterling-silver hinged-clip lever earrings from the early 20th Century. They could be mistaken for exceptional Quahog pearls...
Category
Antique Early 1900s Art Nouveau Clip-on Earrings
Materials
Moonstone, Cat’s Eye, Sterling Silver
CommeDesGarcons 2003 RunwayLook1 Ruched Parachute Convertible White Dress Gown
By Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons, Comme des Garçons
Located in Chicago, IL
For his design mentor Rei Kawakubo's Japanese brand Comme des Garcons, Junya Wantanabe made this inimitable semi-transparent white taffeta floaty ruffled-V-neck sleeveless pullover dress with distinct parachute elements, cutwork, and adjustable ruching and draping as "Look 1 and 2" (see photos) for the Parisian fashion show debut of his Spring/Summer 2003 collection. The stunning combination of contrasts range from romantic-to-combat themes, gathered-to-flowing construction, raw-to-finely-finished edges, soft-to-hard materials, and gossamer-to-dense textural fabrics.
Secured on the exterior of the dress with bold silver hardware, the parachute-like 100%-cotton grosgrain straps are mostly enclosed within multiple diagonal and vertical ruched channels to enable symmetrical or asymmetrical draping and lengthening of the thin synthetic fabric into multiple swags. Strap ends can freely hang from the functional hardware on the front of the dress and below its sides--as if they could be yanked to release the fabric into a drifty parachute sail.
With the potential to be a stunning formal overlay if worn with a minimalist wedding gown or long skirt, the reverse side of the voluminous dress is equally remarkable for its ruffled diamond-shaped cutout at the lower back, where it is intersected by a trio of linked thick straps that are secured to a looped ruched channel. This creates an elongated bustle with a dramatic central 19-inch slit between the two swags that each extend 43 inches below the outer shoulder hem.
This premiere-catwalk dress is distinguished from others in Wantanabe's "Parachute Jumper" collection by the complexity of its top. Two ruched straps form an X-shape via silver hardware at the upper back, extending to the front over the shoulders to form an adjustable face-flattering ruched V-neck with silver-hardware-linked narrow straps. The soft folds of the neckline contribute to the raised ruffle collar, as well as flow to the shoulder seams.
The hand-cut hem was designed unfinished and meant to fray, although it has not given its minimal wear and very good condition consistent with only age and storage. See our photos of the care/material tags.
All tags remain, including from the Italian concept-store 10 Corso Como, where it was purchased in Milan. The "Made in Japan" size is a large-running "S" due to the pullover and adjustable style of the dress, which is equivalent to an Italian-size 44 or U.S.-size 6.
Beyond a convertible dress...
Category
Early 2000s Japanese Evening Dresses
Couture 1920s French HandCarved Dogs Hounds Galalith RedPaintedArtPlastic Brooch
Located in Chicago, IL
This Art-Deco period French carved, lathe-worked, sculpted and red-painted black-galalith figural brooch depicts a pair of long-limbed dogs, which may be wolfhounds, greyhounds or wh...
Category
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Brooches
Materials
Brass
Antique ImperialJadeite TranslucentGreen IntricateCarvedFlora 1890sScrewEarrings
Located in Chicago, IL
Made during the crossover Arts & Crafts and Art-Nouveau movements, these antique Chinese earrings feature rare Burmese natural untreated translucent im...
Category
Antique 1890s Chinese Arts and Crafts Lever-Back Earrings
Materials
Jade, Brass, Gilt Metal, Yellow Gold
StellaMcCartney 2003 Runway Silk Satin Print Zip Jacket OffShoulder Bubble Dress
By Stella McCartney
Located in Chicago, IL
Arguable the most significant design in the Stella McCartney Spring/Summer 2003 collection--since our versatile garment debuted in different colors on the runway and was worn by the British designer to take her fashion-show bow--this pink-printed dark-grey silk-blend zip-front bubble-shaped mini dress with white-satin stripes and pink piping was a favorite of the show's Vogue critic and her father Beatles co-founder Paul McCarthy.
Vogue wrote: "Her hippest new idea came in the form of puffy satin bombers--she transformed one, a fusion of sport and chinoiserie print, into an off-the-shoulder bubble dress. McCartney is so into the glam-bomber idea, in fact, that she bounded onto the runway wearing a black version herself."
The garment's voluminous batwing sleeves and stretch-cotton ribbed neckline and hem, plus custom golden-charm two-way zipper, enable it to have two different necklines and lengths to convert to a shorter puffier bomber jacket.
Notably, the versatile piece that is subtly printed with mock-Beatles lyrics seems to have been the first tribute fashion-design that McCartney created to reference her father. Prior, she had credited her stylish mother Linda for instilling her with a love of fashion and inspiration for her initial namesake collections, which followed her first commercial collections with Phoebe Philo for Chloe.
For background, when McCartney was a young girl in 1978, the mock-rock band The Rutles parodied a Beatles song, which was recorded by EMI as "Ging, Gang, Goolie". Given its lyrics, the chinoiserie-style dragon motifs were substituted by McCartney with bird skeletons...
Category
Early 2000s British Mini Dress
Couture Chanel 1930s Byzantine PurpleHeart RealPearls&Gems Gold Medallion Brooch
By Chanel
Located in Chicago, IL
When French Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel was at her peak during the Art-Deco period as a Parisian couture-fashion designer in the early 1930s, this one-of-a-kind handcrafted gem-fringed and gilt-chain medallion brooch with trombone clasp was commissioned by her to accessorize one of her clothing designs. Marked only "FRANCE" like some early 1930s Chanel couture jewelry (without a brand stamp until the 1950s), its artistic origin is most likely from ornate organic-form sketches by her favorite parurier Fulco di Verdura. The Sicilian duke began creating fabric patterns for Chanel in 1927, which shortly expanded to fine jewelry beginning with custom pieces for herself. These include the iconic Byzantine-influenced gem-adorned cuffs referencing the Maltese-military cross, which the French designer can often be seen wearing in circa-1930s photos.
This bright-yellow gold brooch suits goldsmith Verdura's early anti-Art-Deco aesthetic that was considered a radical departure from 1920s silver-tone jewelry, which otherwise featured linear geometric designs or figurative representation. The softly-shaped deconstructed gem-bouquet mixes amethyst and rose-quartz beads with natural Keshi pearls and intricate tiny gilt leaves, which are wired to a Baroque-motif open-work frame that dangles another gem surrounded by a thick gilt-rope halo. Notably, Verdura is credited with re-introducing since Victorian times the rope motif to jewelry.
Since 1930, Verdura's unique style was influenced by travels with Chanel to explore Byzantine art, Baroque architecture, and exotic flora-and-fauna among his native Italian aristocratic estate. The legendary fashion-editor Diane Vreeland and American entertainment-stars were among the first Chanel clients to acquire couture real-gem-adorned jewelry made by Verdura, while one of the two brooches treasured by Vreeland was titled "Theodora". See our photo of the Byzantine mosaic of Empress Theodora, whose image wearing many teardrop pearls above her chest and surrounded by a golden halo seems to be the inspiration for this brooch.
As one of the most important modern-design collaborations, Chanel's close relationship with Verdura lasted largely undocumented years in Paris, until he launched his first outside jewelry venture with a Hollywood designer-boutique after emigrating to the United States in 1934. By 1939 as a financially-backed in-demand goldsmith, he founded the namesake jewelry-company Verdura in New...
Category
Vintage 1930s French Byzantine Brooches
Materials
Amethyst, Pearl, Quartz, Gold, Gilt Metal, Yellow Gold
DaumNancyFrance ArtDeco Signed Glass Applications LeadCrystal Sculptural Vase
By Daum
Located in Chicago, IL
Art glass vase sign: Daum Nancy France. Evidenced by this Daum sculptural colorless blown and hot-shaped lead-crystal heavy vessel vase, the finest irreproducible artistic works in the history of the iconic French decorative-glass maker feature ornamental thick glass applications. Its most in-demand pieces today were made between 1925 and 1935, with very few major ArtDeco-period pieces remaining in private hands and even less without damage. As a significant gift acquired from Don Jacques Daum in 1950, a similarly shaped, constructed and sized circa-1925 vase with "stylized foliage" motif is in the collection of the French Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris as Inventory #36309. A later-produced vase with a similar application-motif at just the rim, but in a "Champagne" bubbled style, is among the photos in the published book about the Leo and Irina Esterkin acquisitions from 1910-1940 titled Daum Art Deco Glass--A Private Collection.
On our prime-condition antique vase, applied transparent glass is styled in high relief into a flowing undulating motif that evolved from Daum's Art Nouveau foliage designs. The angular and curvilinear shapes of this vessel epitomize the bold vases, bowls and sculptures for which Daum is best known. Its tiny pencil-etched signature on the side near the bottom reads "Daum (plus the Lorraine-cross symbol) Nancy France", which resembles some published signatures since 1925.
Revealing how ahead of its time this particular design was--after WWII in 1945 coinciding with the revitalization of the French glass industry--Daum used...
Category
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Figurines and Sculptures
Materials
Crystal
ModernArtist SilverWire Geometric Spirals HandmadeWithPliers Seven Link Bracelet
Located in Chicago, IL
This modern one-of-a-kind geometric-spirals seven-link bracelet was expertly handmade from silver wire dating to the 20th Century in a style not earlier than Art Deco. There are no marks or jewelry techniques other than from the pliers used to bend the wire into the seven differently-shaped links. If not by mid-century artist Alexander Calder, it is in the style of his thousands of pieces of plier-bent wire jewelry that were astonishingly all unique.
This attractive bracelet with atypical three-dimensional pieces would have been reproduced if it had been created by a jewelry designer. While a variety of geometric shapes are often combined in wire bracelets...
Category
20th Century Unknown Modern Modern Bracelets
Materials
Silver, Base Metal
YBA YoungBritishArtist Sculpture JewelryCostume First US Exhibit NYC 2000-2001
By Contemporary
Located in Chicago, IL
Young British artist (YBA) Philippe Bradshaw (1965-2005) was represented by blue-chip international art galleries when he was the first to reimagine iconic-art images as tapestry-like metal-chain installations in multimedia environments. He is best known for transforming hand-assembled colorful anodized-aluminum links into shimmering semi-transparent layered curtains, whose hanging long strands uniquely amplified the light and sound of his projected camcorder videos and DJ'd music.
In Bradshaw's first American exhibition "Disco Damage" in 2001 at NYC's legendary avant-garde art gallery, Deitch Projects, this jewelry-costume sculpture became part of the artist's live-in evolving studio installation. While later celebrating 15 years of art happenings that had occurred at that Soho exhibition space, its gallerist-cum-museum-director Jeffrey Deitch--who was physically scarred during this unforgettable chaotic several-month experience orchestrated by Bradshaw--recounted this show in his retrospective hardcover book "Live The Art".
When Bradshaw drowned in the Parisian-river Seine in August 2005 while living the high life of his skyrocketing success in Europe, he left a small body of large installations that is mostly distributed among the world's top private art collections. Notably, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles has acquired one of his multimedia works. More recently, another assembly of his chain curtains made a rare public appearance at new modern-art museum, Heidi Horten Collection, during its inaugural exhibition in Vienna.
Since winning a major British visual-art prize in 2000 that marked Bradshaw's art-world ascent following fellow Goldsmiths-College YBAs who were close friends, this sculpture evolved from one of his most elaborate jewelry costumes that he created in London while seducing the American who became his girlfriend. Unlike other pieces of jewelry that he made as gifts to participating acquaintances while video taping...
Category
Early 2000s British Contemporary Figurines and Sculptures
Materials
Mixed Metal
Antique ArtNouveau Tourmaline Gems & Lampwork Glass WhiteGold Filigree Sautoir
Located in Chicago, IL
Epitomizing the Art Nouveau movement, this antique post-1912 sautoir drop necklace with a white-gold openwork-and-wire pendant and filigree clasp features a rainbow of handcrafted gem beads--the largest of which are carved "Rose of France" and purple amethysts plus faceted-pink and beveled-aqua tourmalines--along with what appears to be lampwork glass...
Category
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Materials
Amethyst, Tourmaline, White Gold, Enamel, Rhodium, Gilt Metal
18thC EnamelDoublePainting SilverFiligree SpanishRococo AprilBirthday Pendant
Located in Chicago, IL
This early 18th-Century Spanish Rococo period silver-filigree double-sided pendant with dangle features miniature colorful enamel devotional paintings on both sides of a white porcelain centerpiece, which are associated with an April birth.
One side depicts a mountain landscape with a haloed richly-robed dark woman holding a lap-seated dark child and a holy orb...
Category
Antique Early 18th Century Spanish Rococo Pendant Necklaces
Materials
Silver, Enamel
16thCentury Renaissance Silver Repousse Lovers Pendant Or Engagement Hat Badge
Located in Chicago, IL
This early 16th-Century Renaissance silver-repousse round medallion "lovers" pendant depicts a romantic encounter in a rural landscape between a man and smiling woman wearing Europea...
Category
Antique 16th Century French Renaissance Pendant Necklaces
Materials
Silver, Gilt Metal
Antique Amuletic Dozen RockCrystals CagedRing Medieval Style Gilt Bronze Pendant
Located in Chicago, IL
This antique amuletic bronze framed pendant cages a dozen 7mm-diameter single-cut rock crystals that each feature a table-cut decagon crown, deep pavilion, 21 facets and uncut girdle, while the culets range from off-center to blunted. They are tightly set within four linked rings to overlap at the same angle in a sparkling single row. Seeming to retain a little of its original yellow-gold gilding on just the interior, the frame that surrounds each of the four sections of three crystals enables them to reflect pale-yellow-and-lime light when the pendant is viewed from certain angles.
Suggesting French heritage, the Medieval Frankish culture in northern France made jewelry in similar segmented or openwork shapes of wheels or whorls, which were worn as gem-decorated disk-shaped brooches or gold-caged rock...
Category
Antique 18th Century French Renaissance Pendant Necklaces
Materials
Crystal, Rock Crystal, Gilt Metal, Bronze, Copper
16thCentury RockCrystal Hogback ScissorCut Silver High Relief Scrollwork Pendant
Located in Chicago, IL
In a rare scissor cut dating to the 1500s, this centuries-old prong-set hogback rock-crystal pendant produces a fascinating play of refractions in low light. With its rectangular nar...
Category
Antique 16th Century European Renaissance Pendant Necklaces
Materials
Crystal, Rock Crystal, Silver
16thCentury Renaissance Ultramarine Angel GiltFiligree Crystal Medallion Pendant
Located in Chicago, IL
With artistic value as a Renaissance chiaroscuro miniature painting with precious ultramarine lapis-lazuli pigment, this early 16th-Century period gilt-filigree silver pendant medall...
Category
Antique 16th Century Italian Renaissance Pendant Necklaces
Materials
Crystal, Silver, Enamel, Copper, Gold
Trifari 1940s Philippe 4PieceParure CrystalFloraMotif GoldNecklaceEarringsBrooch
By Alfred Philippe for Trifari
Located in Chicago, IL
In the late 1940s, Trifari French-born artistic director Alfred Philippe, who had earlier created fine jewelry for Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, designed this flora-motif crystal-s...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Pendant Necklaces
Materials
Crystal, Diamond, Gold, Gold Plate, Yellow Gold
ArtNouveau Carved Abalone 18K WhiteGold HighRelief Asymmetric Flora&Bird Pendant
Located in Chicago, IL
This 20th-Century Art-Nouveau style 18-karat white-gold-plated highly textural pendant features a prong-set abalone that is carved into seemingly overlapping flower petals in lustrou...
Category
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Materials
Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
Antique 8 BallCutMoonstones French BelleEpoque GiltFiligree Earrings & Necklace
Located in Chicago, IL
This antique French Belle-Epoque-period set incudes eight rare ball-cut moonstones beaded on a delicate gilt choker necklace and wire-hook dangle earrings for pierced ears. The necklace features two 12mm gilt-filigree-capped moonstones with atypical adularescence that glows as a sharply defined wide bluish-white circle below the surface. The pearl-like grayish-white moonstones are among beaded stations of cut-glass crystal that are spaced with tiny gilt balls. The matching earrings each feature a 6mm moonstone like the additional four on the necklace.
The luminous moonstone beads look like quahog-clam pearls...
Category
Vintage 1910s French Belle Époque Pendant Necklaces
Materials
Crystal, Moonstone, Brass, Gold, Gilt Metal
MontblancMeisterstuckClassique Germany Gilt BlackResin Rollerball Pen with Ink
By Montblanc
Located in Chicago, IL
The best-known writing instrument of all Montblanc collections, this Meisterstuck Classique features six gilt rings and a clip on the black resin rollerball pen with a pull-off cap, ...
Category
20th Century German For The Desk
Couture Fruit HandPainted WoodCherries RedGreenCharms ChainLink Vintage Necklace
Located in Chicago, IL
This vintage cherry-fruit charm necklace featuring red hand-painted wood is constructed of silver chain links and its clasp extension-chain is decorated with a single red bead. The green leaves that trim the berry beads are a surprising two-tone plastic, indicating that they were also handcrafted.
Notably, the fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli is famous for including custom plastic elements in her mostly unsigned jewelry that accompanied her couture collections in the late 1930s.
Please see TheMet online archive to view Schiaparelli's most well-known couture necklace structured from plastic supporting metal insects...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Chain Necklaces
Materials
Silver, Silver Plate, Gilt Metal
Antique ArtDeco French ArtPlasticSet BlackSphereMotif CrystalEarrings CoilBangle
Located in Chicago, IL
In the Art-Deco period when geometric, monotone and sparkly designs became fashionable, leading Paris-based couture designer Elsa Schiaparellli set trends with her artistic use of new plastic resins in bold costume jewelry. The progressive French style is exemplified by this unsigned antique black sphere-motif pair of a coiled bangle bracelet and two-tier crystal earrings. The heat-set curvilinear plastic, along with the silver screw-hardware of the earrings, date the set to no earlier than the 1920s and no later than 1930s.
Each inch-diameter earring features 18 black molded bezels containing brilliant rose-cut crystals, while their filigree-like concealed black frames are riveted in back where they twist-fasten with very thin silver hardware. The rhinestones rise above the bezels to maximize their sparkle in rainbow colors, which is accentuated by the stacked frames...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Bangles
Materials
Crystal, Silver
Couture 1950s WestGermany DiorDesigner Crystal DoubleTrimmed EmeraldCut Earrings
By Christian Dior Haute Couture
Located in Chicago, IL
While making similar Christian Dior haute-couture costume-jewelry since 1955, parurier Max Muller based near Kaufbeuren, Western Germany, created these exceptionally-clear crystal si...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Modern Clip-on Earrings
Materials
Crystal, Silver, Gilt Metal
Couture DiorDesigner WesternGermanyMaxMuller Crystal SinuousDangle Clip Earrings
By Max Müller Kaufbeuren
Located in Chicago, IL
While making similar mid-century haute-couture costume jewelry for Christian Dior, designer Max Muller based near Kaufbeuren, Western Germany, created these dramatic clear-crystal si...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Modern Dangle Earrings
Materials
Crystal, Silver, Gilt Metal
MiriamHaskell 1930s Shells Russian Gilt Filagree BrassFlora WoodLeaf Clip Brooch
By Frank Hess for Miriam Haskell
Located in Chicago, IL
This early Miriam Haskell lacquered-shell and brass-and-wood-decorated clip brooch was created by Frank Hess, her first designer since 1926. The c.1930 brooch features three seashell...
Category
Vintage 1930s American Baroque Revival Brooches
Materials
Gold, Base Metal, Brass, Gilt Metal
Vintage DoubleSpiral Twisted Silver Wire Filigree Link Choker Collar Necklace
Located in Chicago, IL
Featuring handmade double-spiral filigree links, this vintage collar choker necklace was created by tightly twisting fine silver wire, which was ...
Category
20th Century Greek Revival Link Necklaces
Materials
Silver
WesternGermany 1950s CherryRed MoldFacetedBead FlowerClasp DoubleStrand Necklace
Located in Chicago, IL
Stamped "Western Germany" on the gold-tone underside of its box clasp, this double-strand long necklace with cherry-red beads and decorative clasp features the reflective glossy face...
Category
Vintage 1950s German Modern Multi-Strand Necklaces
Materials
Gold, Gilt Metal, Mixed Metal
Antique ArtDeco Meets BelleEpoque WWI WhiteGold Openwork Link Choker Necklace
Located in Chicago, IL
Victorian Belle-Epoque and Edwardian styles transitioned to Art-Deco period jewelry with semi-precious materials and machine-age shapes around WWI when this unique 20-link choker nec...
Category
Early 20th Century American Belle Époque Choker Necklaces
Materials
White Gold
ArtDeco Coro 1919 "PatPend" Lady Bug Enamel FauxGem Vermeil Brooch
By Coro
Located in Chicago, IL
With the Coro signature "script-no-angle" since 1919 and "PAT.PEND.", this early Art Deco vermeil lady-bug beetle brooch features a red enameled face and mixed-cut bezel-set red and ...
Category
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Brooches
Materials
Crystal, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Gold, Enamel, Gilt Metal, Vermeil
MiriamHaskell 1926-39 Enamel GiltFiligree Scallop BrassClip ArtDeco AquaEarrings
By Miriam Haskell
Located in Chicago, IL
During the Art-Deco period, Miriam Haskell and her first designer since 1926 Frank Hess created these blue-tone enameled scallop-edged Russian-gilt brass earrings with intricate wire...
Category
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Clip-on Earrings
Materials
Turquoise, Gold, Brass, Enamel, Gilt Metal, Yellow Gold
MiriamHaskell 1926-1929 Shell Glass FauxPearl Crystal Silver Art Deco Sautoir
By Frank Hess for Miriam Haskell
Located in Chicago, IL
In the late 1920s during the Art-Deco period, this Miriam Haskell white mostly glass-beaded sautoir was created in New York City by her first designer Frank Hess. This uniquely hand-...
Category
Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Pendant Necklaces
Materials
Crystal, Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, Natural Pearl, Coral, Silver
Georgian Early1800s Cannetille Filigree WiredPearl FloralSpray RedSilk PinBrooch
By Artistian Made
Located in Chicago, IL
Inspired by folk embroidery, filigree jewelry transformed in the early 1800s during the Georgian period into labor-intensive cannetille, like this antique handmade intricately-wired metal-frame brooch depicting a floral spray. Resembling Silesian wire-ornamentation, this metallic wire and red braided-thread brooch...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century European Georgian Brooches
Materials
Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, Gilt Metal, Berlin Iron
Couture 1939-50 Schiaparelli-SchlumbergerStyle GlassBeads ProngSetCrystal Brooch
By Artisan NYC
Located in Chicago, IL
In the style of Elsa Schiaparelli couture costume-jewelry and one of her paruriers since the late 1930s, Jean Schlumberger, this handcrafted highly-textural glass-and-crystal rhodium...
Category
Vintage 1940s American Brooches
Materials
Crystal, Pearl, Silver, Rhodium
French MidCentury Bazot 18KGoldPouredGlassEnameledPlaques SilverPendantsNecklace
By Andree Bazot
Located in Chicago, IL
Acquired in France and featuring French studio-artist Andree Bazot's signature technique of topping free-formed layers of polychrome enamels fused on textural foiled plaques with a d...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Materials
Silver, Enamel, Copper, Gold, 18k Gold
MaryMcFadden 1970 TheMetCollected JewelrySeries Gilt Openwork Sculptural Brooch
By Mary McFadden
Located in Chicago, IL
Like Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli, Hattie Carnegie, and Pauline Trigere, Mary McFadden produced jewelry in the 20th Century to compliment her own couture-clothing designs. Unlike those fashion designers, McFadden handcrafted her sculptural jewelry, whereby her studio designs in brass since...
Category
Vintage 1970s American Modern Brooches
Materials
Gold, Gilt Metal, Brass
ArtDeco 1927-1936 Mazer Faux Citrine GrayDiamond Stylized Heart GiltLinkBracelet
By Joseph Mazer
Located in Chicago, IL
Signed with the earliest "Mazer Bros" signature on the colorless-crystal-decorated silver metal clasp, Joseph Mazer designed this Art-Deco period gold-gilt s...
Category
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Link Bracelets
Materials
Citrine, Crystal, Black Diamond, Gilt Metal, Gold, Silver
MiriamHaskell 1945 CrystalRoseMontee GiltFiligree Glass Enameled ClimberEarrings
By Frank Hess for Miriam Haskell
Located in Chicago, IL
Two years before the brand signature first appeared in 1947, Miriam Haskell's first designer Frank Hess since 1926 designed these asymmetrical Baroque-style climber earrings that fea...
Category
Vintage 1940s American Art Nouveau Clip-on Earrings
Materials
Pearl, Crystal, Gilt Metal, Enamel, Gold
