Seaman Schepps Turbo Shell and Turquoise Earrings
View Similar Items
Seaman Schepps Turbo Shell and Turquoise Earrings
About the Item
- Creator:
- Metal:
- Stone:
- Stone Cut:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:2000's
- Condition:
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:Seller: 48E1981stDibs: LU210292832
Seaman Schepps
A scrappy, self-made artist who transformed turbo shells into decadent earrings and crystal chessmen into bold bracelets, Seaman Schepps (1881–1972) tirelessly worked his way up from the tenements of New York’s Lower East Side to become “America’s Court Jeweler.”
Born to immigrant parents who named him for the Seamen’s Bank for Savings that his mother could see from the hospital — or so the legend goes — Schepps dropped out of school at the age of 14 and never had any formal jewelry training. He later moved to California, where he opened his first jewelry shop in 1904. In 1921, he returned to New York to build on the success he’d begun to enjoy as a jeweler on the West Coast, but it wasn’t long before his Manhattan house, which counted Broadway stars and theater patrons among its clientele, was hit hard by the stock market crash of 1929. Schepps used this disruption to rethink his approach to jewelry, debuting a new store in 1934 on Madison Avenue, where he would make his mark in playful custom adornments.
While many high-end jewelers of his era focused on the purest and most valuable gemstones, Schepps chose his materials for their color and shape, elevating flawed stones others disregarded in collage-like formations involving unconventional materials such as fine wood, coral, seashells and flea-market finds. Passersby of his New York City shop could find a frog-shaped brooch carved from rosewood, a vintage snuff bottle broken into links for a bracelet and loose-drilled pearls plugged with diamonds. Schepps’s whimsical pieces found fans in fashion icons who appreciated his unique statements, including Doris Duke, Andy Warhol and the Duchess of Windsor.
Following Schepps’s death in 1972, his daughter, jewelry designer Patricia S. Vaill, ran the jewelry house for two decades before it was taken over by Jay Bauer and Anthony Hopenhajm of Trianon jewelry. Following the closure of the company’s Park Avenue store in November 2020, sales for Seaman Schepps is now based in its boutique location out of Palm Beach, Florida, where the legendary brand carries forth its founder’s spirited designs.
On 1stDibs, find a distinctive collection of vintage Seaman Schepps jewelry, including brooches, bracelets and other accessories.
- SEAMAN SCHEPPS Yellow Gold, Diamond and Multicolored Stone BraceletBy Seaman ScheppsLocated in New York, NYAn 18 karat yellow gold, amethyst, green tourmaline, pink tourmaline, aquamarine, citrine and diamond bracelet, Seaman Schepps, circa 1990s. Fashioned as four rows of carved multi g...Category
1990s Cuff Bracelets
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- A Pair of Gold and Diamond EarringsLocated in New York, NYA pair of 18 karat yellow and white gold and diamond earclips. Each button style earclip designed as a stylized white gold pinwheel motif pave set with approximately fifty one (51) ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- A Pair of White and Yellow Gold and Diamond Bombe' Button EarringsLocated in New York, NYA pair of 18 karat white and yellow gold and diamond earrings. Each white gold bombe button style earring pave set with approximately fifty seven round brilliant cut diamonds punctu...Category
Vintage 1980s American Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, Yellow Gold
- Pair of Fancy Yellow Diamond and Diamond EarringsLocated in New York, NYA pair of platinum, 18 karat yellow gold, fancy yellow diamond and diamond earrings. Each set with a fancy yellow cut cornere...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, Yellow Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
- A Pair of Yellow Gold, Pearl and Diamond EarringsLocated in New York, NYA pair of 14 karat yellow gold, pearl and diamond earclips. Each earclip designed as a central mabe pearl measuring approximately 13.4 mm surrounded by a spiral of approximately thi...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- ELIZABETH GAGE Yellow Gold, Peridot and Diamond EarringsBy Elizabet GageLocated in New York, NYA pair of 18 karat yellow gold, peridot and diamond earclips, Elizabeth Gage. Each “Eleanor” earclip designed as a lightly hammered upturned crescent bisected by a rectangle set wi...Category
Vintage 1980s American Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsDiamond, Peridot, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Seaman Schepps Turbo Shell EarringsBy Patricia Schepps Vaill for Seaman ScheppsLocated in Darnestown, MDBeautiful shell earrings by PSV of Seaman Schepps. In the 1960's, the founder retired and his daughter, Patricia took over until she sold the company in 1992. PSV are her initials. ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Materials14k Gold
- Seaman Schepps Turbo Shell Earrings with AmethystBy Patricia Schepps Vaill for Seaman ScheppsLocated in Darnestown, MDThese classic Seaman Schepps turbo shell earrings have richly colored amethyst terminals. The stones are faceted. The earrings are 14 karat gold, ...Category
Vintage 1970s American Modern Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsAmethyst, 14k Gold
- Seaman Schepps Turbo Shell and Sapphire Gold EarringsBy Seaman ScheppsLocated in Houston, TXThese vintage earrings from Seaman Schepps feature mother of pearl with sapphire cabochons at the ends set in 18 karat yellow gold. These are ver...Category
20th Century American Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsSapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Seaman Schepps Turbo Shell and Lapis Lazuli Gold EarringsBy Seaman ScheppsLocated in Zurich, ZollstrasseFrom Seaman Scheps, a pair of 18 karat yellow gold, turbo shell and Lapis Lazuli earrings. Each set with a white turbo shell, terminating in a Lapis Lazuli cabochon accented by gold ...Category
Vintage 1960s American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsLapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Seaman Schepps Vintage Turbo Shell Ruby Sapphire Gold EarringsBy Patricia Schepps Vaill for Seaman ScheppsLocated in New York, NYPair of vintage Seaman Schepps turbo shell earrings, crafted by Patricia Shepps, with ruby and sapphire cabochons. Earrings measure...Category
20th Century American Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsRuby, Sapphire, Gold
- Seaman Schepps Vintage Sapphire Ruby Turbo Shell Gold EarringsBy Patricia Schepps Vaill for Seaman ScheppsLocated in New York, NYPair of classic vintage 14k gold earrings by Seaman Schepps, with blue sapphire and ruby cabochons and turbo shells. Earrings are 30mm x 20mm....Category
20th Century American More Earrings
MaterialsRuby, Sapphire, Gold