Marie Zimmermann

with a mounted white jade belt hook from the Qing Dynasty, circa 18th-19th Century

Lillian Nassau, New York
Private Midwestern Collection, acquired from the above in 1980
Thence by descent to the present owner

Deborah Dependahl Waters, Joseph Cunningham and Bruce Barnes, The Jewelry and Metalwork of Marie Zimmermann, New Haven, 2011, pp. 245-252 (for a discussion of the covered box form)

Overall very good condition. The gilt silver surfaces with some occasional light surface scratches and with scattered light tarnishing to the underside of the jade handle, the ball feet and to the sides of the box. The enameled ball feet with traces of white surface residue around the perimeter contours of the enameled design. The carved jade handle in the form of two elaborate dragons is in excellent intact condition with no visible cracks or damage aside from very gentle surface wear. The gilt silver surface presents with a warm gold tone that provides a striking contrast with the green cloisonné enameled feet and the white jade decorative element. This piece displays Zimmermann's highly artistic combination of exotic materials into her metalwork. The design demonstrates great craftsmanship in the enamelwork of the feet, which complement the inclusion of the ornate jade handle from the Qing dynasty.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Marie Zimmermann, a native of Brooklyn, began working in metalwork while studying at the Pratt Institute of Art in the early twentieth century.  Her work often incorporated found objects such as jade, ivory and stone, to create decorative finials or handles for tabletop boxes and vessels executed in silver or copper.  Zimmermann also experimented with designs in hand-wrought iron.      

The present lot is an example of Zimmermann’s technique of integrating non-western elements into her metalwork.  The smooth gilt silver surface of the covered box is accented by a pitched cover, evocative of a Chinese-style rooftop.  This stylistic reference is further highlighted by the use of a carved, white jade belt hook from the Qing Dynasty as the cover’s handle.  The cloisonné enamel of the balled feet depict undulating dragons, heightening the exotic, Eastern-influenced aesthetic of the piece.  Zimmermann’s design demonstrates an affinity for modern craft through the box’s simplified form and the quality of the detailed enamel work.  While modernist in form, the piece speaks to a broader interest in the reappropriation of objects from exoticized cultures—both prevalent themes in the Art Deco and American Modern design movements in the 1920s and 1930s.