Summer 2017

Summer 88 www.afamag.com |  www.incollect.com Fig. 9 : Hugh de Twenebrokes Glazebrook (1855–1937), Mademoiselle S.N., portrait of Sara Norton (1864-1922), Bordighera, Italy, 1910. Oil on canvas. Bequest of Susan B. Norton. Fig. 8 : Mourning ring, probably Boston, 1766. Gold, enamel, paper, crystal. Gift of Mrs. John Binney and Miss Margaret Bush. Fig. 9a : Pair of earrings and customized box, Black, Starr & Frost, jeweler (1810–present), New York City, 1890–1910. Amethyst, pearl, gold, paper. Bequest of Susan B. Norton. snapshots she pasted into their guest book (Fig. 10). Among the distinguished guests were New York gallery owner Marion Willard and sculptor Alexander Calder and his wife, Louisa. The party coincided with the first exhibition of Calder’s jewelry at Willard’s gallery. Since the 1930s, Calder had been making jewelry for his friends and family, and nearly all the women who attended wore Calder’s distinctive hammered wire jewelry. He often personalized these items, using the name or initials of the recipient as design components. At the party, or soon after, Ati received a brooch of her own, worked in brass and silver that spelled out her name. The brooch, now owned by Ati’s daughter, is the only item on loan to Historic New England for this exhibition (Fig. 10a). Create investigates New England’s critical role in jewelry production, including costume jewelry for which the region was known, and the unique products of artisan jewelers from the 1800s to today. When costume jewelry became popular between the First and Second World Wars, designers intended it to resemble its precious counterparts. One of the f irst designers to embrace costume jewelry, Coco Chanel, said, “When you make imitation jewelry, you always make it bigger.” These pieces often copied, or at least hinted at, luxur y jewels. New England ’s manufacturing jewelers dominated the industry. Coro, Trifari, Little Nemo, L.G. Balfour, all founded before 1920, made stylish adornments available to a wide range of consumers. Alfred Philippe, head designer at Trifari, created a bracelet (Fig. 11) to look similar to fine jewelry by Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, where he had once worked. Trained in Paris, he helped to improve the quality of design and execution in American costume jewelry.