International studio (57.1915/1916)

Hand-Built Jewellery

MOONSTONE COLLAR AND PENDANT
OWNED BY MRS. EBEN D. JORDAN

DESIGNED AND EXECUTED BY
JOSEPHINE HARTWELL SHAW

In reviewing the history
of the crafts, we find that
among the important arts jewellery
making has always been held in high
esteem. It has been valued not only
for its intrinsic worth, but also as one
of the fine arts. The great respect
shown in the past for talented gold
and silver smiths is significant of this.
In the olden times and among certain
nations of to-day, who live the life of
traditional lore, especially those who
wear the traditionary costumes and
are ruled by specific religious customs,
the mental ornaments and native
gems are a part of their native char-
acter. They are hence symbols of the
period and the people. The gold and
silver smith has something vital to
put into his work. America has
neither bound herself by traditions,
nor developed her own basic motive
in decoration. This leaves us free for
true creative work. This very free-
dom might be dangerous were it not
for the great mechanical difficulties
which are of sufficient restraint

as these new craftsmen do not hamper
their creative ideas by copying the
historical as many of the other crafts-
men do. Before long some of us will
rise up and bring forth a wonderful
new art from our craft that will as-
tonish the world. America has pro-
duced names which will be strong be-
fore the public in the next few years.
The old metal craftsmen were art-
ists as well as mechanics, either of
which is conceded to be a life work.
They were sculptors, draughtsmen
and painters. Benvenuto Cellini
(1500 A. D.) was renowned as a
sculptor. In the sixteenth century,
the name Penicaud appears as a
family of famous enamellers; they
painted in enamel wonderful groups
of figures from Bibical history. They
were artist-craftsmen from childhood
and from tradition.
In America the metal craft has
been in existence about fifteen years.
Very few have worked at it over five to
ten years and few were reared in the
art atmosphere. Great strides have
been made in this time. A few of the
workers are already developing styles
of their own, which are distinctly
American.

Hand-built jewel-
lery
BY GRACE HAZEN


to keep us within good working bounds.
At the present time our styles in clothing are
so fleeting that “jewellery to suit the costume” or
an individual, can be nothing more than a colour
scheme or a bit of personal preference as to ar-
rangement in design.
The jewellery craftsman has before him the
task of developing a new jewellery based on the
subconscious knowledge of all the old master
craftsmen. This new field looks very promising,

To the great number of people, jewellery means
diamonds, pearls, and the precious stones set in
stereotyped form by the big jewellery houses, with
a good monetary value in the gems. The handi-
craftsmen are fast remedying this deplorable
condition. They are bringing to the people a
sense of value in artistic production. America
is flooded with machine made “Arts and Crafts
jewellery” of a very cheap variety, good in design,
well made—and when real stones are used, the

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