Lalaounis Estate Hoof Hoop Clip-On Earrings

Name: Lalaounis Estate Hoof Hoop Clip-On Earrings
Brand: Ilias Lalaounis
Price: 4895 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

Prolific jewelry designer Ilias Lalaounis was born in Athens, Greece in 1920. Descending from a family of goldsmiths, he apprenticed under his uncle's jewelry firm to become a master craftsman. In 1941 he took over the family business, and later developed a vision for his signature style during the 1950s. Inspired by his passion for prehistoric motifs, artifacts, and Greek mythology, he studied traditional methods of artistry, branching out on his own in the 1960s to form his own company. In the decades that followed, his work blossomed into a myriad of fine jewelry collections that earned widespread appeal and designer status. Adored by celebrities and the fashion elite, designs by LALAOUNIS remain in high demand among collectors and jewelry lovers in modern times! A fabulous pair of LALAoUNIS earrings! Crafted in 18kt yellow gold, these clip-on hoop earrings depict a doubled ram's hoof motif. The knife-edged, hollow earrings have a subtle hinge at their bottom and clamp to the ear at a ridged setting. The earrings graduate as the design transforms into hooves, adding wonderful depth and intrigue. A truly one-of-a-kind set by a famed designer, these earrings would be a spectacular addition to any earring collection! The earrings measure approximately 2 1/16" tall, 2 1/4" in overall horizontal diameter, graduate from 3/16" to 1/2" at their widest point (at the hoof), and graduate from 1/8" deep (in the back) to slightly more than 1/2" deep at the hoof.

Creator:

Ilias Lalaounis

Metal:

18k Gold

Dimensions:

Height: 2.07 in (52.58 mm)Width: 0.5 in (12.7 mm)Depth: 0.5 in (12.7 mm)Diameter: 2.25 in (57.15 mm)

Style:

Contemporary

Place of Origin:

Italy

Period:

20th Century

Date of Manufacture:

20th Century

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use. The earrings are overall in very good condition. There are two small dimples in the upper hoof of one earring, but this is not notably visible when worn nor does it negatively impact the beauty or integrity of the earrings. The hinges are secure.

Seller Location:

Narberth, PA

Reference Number:

Seller: 444631stDibs: LU32812711112

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Ilias Lalaounis

It’s fitting that Ilias Lalaounis (1920–2013) is the only jeweler ever inducted into the prestigious Académie des Beaux-Arts — the Greek jeweler’s creations, such as his decorative gold necklaces and rings, are less fashion adornment and more works of art.

Lalaounis was born in Athens in 1920 to a family of goldsmiths and watchmakers with origins in Delphi. Before turning to the family business, Lalaounis studied law, economics, business and music and trained with the painter Alexandros Alexandrakis. Such a well-rounded education laid the foundation for his unique approach to jewelry.

Lalaounis took the helm of his uncle’s jewelry company in 1940. The impact of the Second World War on Greece inspired the jeweler to celebrate his country’s history by reinterpreting its artifacts into new works of art. In 1957, Lalaounis founded the Greek Jewelers’ Association and exhibited at the Thessaloniki International Fair, showcasing the first of his “collections,” as he would come to define his phases of work. This, the Archaeological Collection, was informed by classical and Hellenistic history.

Lalaounis would go on to find new ways to render historic motifs in gold and gemstones after founding his namesake house in 1969. For his 1970s-era collection, Blow Up, he displayed gold pieces inspired by Minoan art on his models’ entire bodies; after opening a store in Tokyo, he presented a collection informed by Japanese art. Later, Lalaounis introduced a collection inspired by Native Americans at his Madison Avenue store in Manhattan. One of the jeweler’s most important commissions came in 1976, when he designed a collection that drew on Persian art for Empress Farah of Iran.

In 1984, Lalaounis explored his unique creative vision with a book, Metamorphoses. By the 1990s, he had stores across Europe as well as in Tokyo, Hong Kong and New York City, and his work had been exhibited at the National Museum of American History and the Penn Museum in Philadelphia, to name a few. In 1994, he founded his own eponymous museum in Athens, with a permanent collection of pieces from 45 of his collections. Lalaounis died in 2013.

Lalaounis’s research-driven approach to jewelry design gives his pieces a depth on par with any art form.

Find an ornate assortment of Ilias Lalaounis’s yellow-gold necklaces, rings and more on 1stDibs.