Large Earring Clips with Turban-Shaped Shells in Gold, Seaman Schepps, New York, circa 1980

New York Naturalia

Large Earring Clips with Turban-Shaped Shells in Gold, Seaman Schepps, New York, circa 1980

€ 3,980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

This pair of ear clips from the workshop of New York jeweler Seaman Schepps features two large sea snails in a beautiful, iridescent shade of gray, set in gold and adorned with pearls. These ear clips exemplify why Seaman Schepps is still regarded today as one of the most original jewelry designers of the 20th century. The delicately shimmering conch shells are framed by an understated gold setting that accentuates their natural shape. Small pearls add points of light and lend the design a playful lightness. When Seaman Schepps opened his boutique on Madison Avenue in New York in the 1930s, he initially turned the rules of 20th-century haute joaillerie on their head. While his competitors sought to impress with the most precious gemstones, Schepps set shells, wood, or lava in gold as a matter of course. For him, it was not the material value that mattered, but the beauty of nature. With this philosophy, he became what the press later dubbed “America’s Court Jeweler”—the court jeweler of a nation without a royal family. His clientele included the high society of his time; among others, Jacqueline Kennedy and the Duchess of Windsor shopped with him. Among his most famous creations are the now-iconic Turbo snail earrings, whose spiral shells Schepps viewed as sculptures of nature. According to a frequently told story, in the late 1940s a client brought him a shell necklace she had brought back from vacation. From this, Schepps developed the idea of wrapping individual snail shells in delicate gold bands and accenting them with pearls or cabochons. Before long, the Turban snail earrings had become a staple of the wardrobe for the elegant ladies of New York and Palm Beach. A design that impressively demonstrates that nature is sometimes the greatest of all designers. This pair, signed by Patricia Schepps Viall, came to us from Geneva. It is in excellent condition.

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The use of exotic shells in pieces of jewellery draws on the tradition of the princely cabinets of curiosities of the 16th and 17th centuries. There, extraordinary natural objects were regarded as treasures on par with gold and silverwork or precious gemstones. It was not their material value, but their rarity and the perfection of their natural form that made them coveted collector’s items.

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Size & Details

New York Naturalia

€ 3,980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

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New York Naturalia

Earrings

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