The Arts and Crafts movement that emerged in England in the late 19th century saw a dehumanization of design in the rise of industrialization and mass production of objects. Its practitioners prized craftsmanship and a close connection between the artisan and the entire process of what they were making. This included the design of Arts and Crafts jewelry and watches, which evolved as the movement spread to the United States in the early 20th century.
While much of the Arts and Crafts furniture realm was dominated by male designers like William Morris and Gustav Stickley, several women came to prominence in Arts and Crafts jewelry design, including British metalworker Charlotte Newman and American enamelist and metalsmith Elizabeth Copeland. Many creators were part of guilds, encouraging an exchange of ideas, with some focused on jewelry, like England’s Guild and School of Handicraft — founded by Charles Robert Ashbee — and Birmingham Guild of Handicraft.
In contrast to the Victorian era, with its decadent gemstones and heavy mourning jewelry, designers of Arts and Crafts jewelry looked to the past and abroad for inspiration, from simple medieval shapes to East Asian styles. The movement’s emphasis on natural forms overlapped with Art Nouveau. Flourishes like leaves and flowers formed from silver, aluminum and copper can be found in bracelets and necklaces designed in this style, while rings and earrings are adorned with affordable gems such as turquoise and freshwater pearls.
Arts and Crafts jewelry designers used materials that were often simple, such as semiprecious stones and enamel, which is one of the oldest forms of surface decoration. Artisans prioritized the use of artistic techniques to elevate the jewelry rather than expensive components, and every piece was intended to be one of a kind — a work of wearable art.
Find antique Arts and Crafts jewelry boxes and a collection of Arts and Crafts jewelry on 1stDibs.
Castillo Style Fish Bottle Opener
Located in Coeur d Alene, ID
Castillo style fish bottle opener. Featuring a flexible body with oscillating Blue Pacific abalone scales in variegating colors of pink, silver, bla...
Sterling Silver
Set of 3 Fish Bottle Openers with Abalone Shell and Alpaca Silver
Located in Coeur d Alene, ID
Set of three matching abalone fish botte openers with knives. Bodies are completely overlaid with abalone shell in lovely swirling colors of silver, purple, blue, green, and black. Fish are stylized with comically large white and black eyes and thin bodies. Attached to each tail is a dagger point fruit or spreading knife...
Silver
Castillo Style Fish Bottle Opener
Located in Coeur d Alene, ID
Castillo style fish bottle opener. Featuring a flexible body with oscillating Blue Pacific abalone scales in variegating colors of blue, silver, bla...
Sterling Silver
Pair of Arthur Stone American Arts & Crafts Sterling Silver Olive or Nuts Dishes
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine pair of olive or nut dishes for the cocktail bar. By Arthur Stone. In hand-hammered sterling silver. Each hand-hammered bowl has a small flared foot and a 'berries & vine' etched decoration to its center. Curiously, the central decoration of one is convex, while the decoration of the other is slightly concave. With a "H" benchmark for Arthur L Hartwell. Simply a wonderful pair of Arthur Stone bowls...
Sterling Silver
Antique American Arts & Crafts Hand Wrought Sterling Silver Brandy Warmer
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique brandy warmer By the Kalo Shop in Chicago. In hand-hammered sterling silver and mounted with an ebony wood handle. Marked to th...
Sterling Silver
Set of 3 Abalone Fish Bottle Openers
Located in Coeur d Alene, ID
Set of three matching Alpaca fish bottle openers. Made with sterling silver and abalone shell overlay. Stylized pieces with comically large eyes and small bodies with knife attached ...
Silver
Set of 6 German Art Deco .800 Solid Silver Cordial or Liquor Glasses
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine set of 6 Art Deco silver cordials. Elegantly simple with diminutive cups, straight stems and a round foot. The bases are marked with .800 for the silver fineness, a moon an...
Silver
19th Century Sterling Silver Flower Victorian Flask
Located in Coeur d Alene, ID
Victorian flask with overlaid sterling flower motif. PERIOD: Last quarter 19th Century ORIGIN: United States SIZE: 4 1/2"H x 2 1/2"W Barware, Flasks, Silver, Glass, Vintage, Antiqu...
Sterling Silver
$2,000
H 3.39 in Dm 2.76 in
1779 Antique Tsarist Imperial Russian Cup solid 84 Sterling Silver / 102 gr
Located in SE
Handsome 245-year-old Russian solid Silver cup with continuous cast or impressed / hammered floral & tassels decorations. Period : reign of Catherine the Great ( 1762 to 1796 )...
Sterling Silver
Wallace Figural Sterling Silver Clam Shaped Bowl No. 393
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine vintage American figural sterling silver bowl. By Wallace. Model no. 393. In the form of a half clam shell supported by a crescent shaped foot. Simply a wonderful piece of...
Sterling Silver
$1,500
H 3.08 in W 1.15 in D 1.66 in
Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Miniature Golf Set with Bag, Clubs, and Caddy
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine miniature sterling silver golf set. By Tiffany & Co. Consisting of golf bag, a caddy with wheels, and four golf clubs (1 iron, 3 iron, 6 iron, and 8 iron). The caddy has tw...
Sterling Silver
Set of Four Cartier 'Trinity' Sterling Silver Champagne Flutes
By Cartier
Located in Brisbane City, QLD
This set of four sterling silver champagne flutes were made for retail by Cartier during the second half of the 20th century. The set which are crafted from solid sterling silver fea...
Gold Plate, Silver, Sterling Silver
Antique Stieff Sterling Silver Repousse Salt Shaker
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique silver salt shaker. In sterling silver. By Stieff. With repousse flower decoration throughout and 3 small feet. Simply a...
Sterling Silver
$3,950 / set
H 1.46 in Dm 1.86 in
Set of 12 Tiffany & Co Art Deco Sterling Silver Art Deco Shot Cups or Cordials
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine set of 12 silver cordials or shot glasses. By Tiffany & Co. In sterling silver. Each shot cup with terrific streamlined design including a plunger foot, a tapered body, and...
Sterling Silver
$595
H 1.59 in W 1.43 in D 0.55 in
Antique English Sterling Silver Heart Match Safe / Vesta by William Hair Haseler
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine Edwardian figural matchsafe or vesta. In sterling silver. In the shape of a heart. Made by William Hair Haseler of Birmingham, England in 1898. With engraved leaf decorati...
Sterling Silver
$235
H 2.13 in W 3.25 in D 4.25 in
Pair British Airways Concorde Sterling Silver Napkin Rings in the Original Box
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine pair of English sterling silver napkin rings. Made for the Concorde supersonic airliner division of British Airways. Fully hallmarked to the back British Airways / London / Sterling / 1992 Simply a wonderful pair of collectible Concorde napkin...
Sterling Silver
$3,850 / set
H 0.25 in Dm 3.13 in
Rare Set of 9 Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Vine Pattern Butter Pats
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An extremely rare set of sterling silver butter pats. In the Vine pattern decorated with raised poppies and other flowers around the rim's edge. By Tiffany & Co. Monogrammed to t...
Sterling Silver
$1,800
H 0.5 in W 3.5 in L 6.75 in
Alexandra Solowij Watkins Modernist Sterling Silver Tea or Cocktail Strainer
By Alexandra Watkins
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Offered here for your consideration is, A fine Mid-Century Modern hand-crafted tea strainer. In sterling silver. By Alexandra Solowij Watkins. Solowij Watkins is a renowned Polish-American female silversmith. After training in Montreal she was hired by Gorham as one of the important designing artists - a peer of John Prip and Mary Ann Scherr...
Sterling Silver
Castillo Style Fish Bottle Opener
Located in Coeur d Alene, ID
Castillo style fish bottle opener. Featuring a flexible body with oscillating Blue Pacific abalone scales in variegating colors of blue, silver, bla...
Sterling Silver