American Arts and Crafts Earrings

Description

The Museum’s Department of Drawings and Prints houses an album of original jewelry designs created about 1910 by Virginia V. Blakeney (America, 1878–1963). One of Blakeney’s original designs for a lustrous pendant is the basis for our stunning earrings.

24K gold overlay, with lapis-colored glass cabochons. 1 1/4''L. Pierced, with gold-filled posts.

Art History

Virginia V. Blakeney (America, 1878–1963), a lifelong resident of Dayton, Ohio, is known to have produced jewelry designs for large American jewelry houses as well as for important Dayton families. Her graceful and elegant adornments included necklaces, pendants, brooches, and rings of silver or gold, often enameled or enhanced with precious stones and pearls. Blakeney’s preliminary jewelry designs in this album, done in graphite with watercolor and gouache, clearly display the Arts & Crafts aesthetic and are themselves works of art.