Art as Jewelry as Art
Art as Jewelry as Art
Kutchinsky
Kutchinsky Cluster Earrings
Lot Closed
October 6, 06:12 PM GMT
Estimate
4,000 - 6,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
House of Kutchinsky
Kutchinsky Cluster Earrings
circa 1972, signed on the backs KUTCHINSKY.750 TK-RAI
18k gold pair of earrings with hinged omega backs; in the shape of a gold wreath with a cornucopia of blue-shaded gems and white diamonds spilling out; each has 10 oval cabochon cuts of natural blue turquoise (6.5ct.), 12 cabochon natural-blue sapphires carved with free-form organic motifs (12.86ct.), accented by 10 round brilliant-cut diamonds (0.20ct.) mounted in platinum bezels
1⅕ by ⅝ in.; 3.2 by 1.8 cm.
Private Collection, United States
Treasure Fine Jewelry, Miami, Florida
WinBids Auctions, Aventura, Florida: Special Selection of Fine Jewelry, January 13, 2022
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Graham Hughes, International Exhibition of Modern Jewellery 1890-1961, The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, London, 1961, p. 149 for similar technique
The House of Kutchinsky, founded by Hirsch Kutchinsky in 1893, solidified their reputation for high-quality products with commissions for the German court, and set up shop in London's East End. Hirsch's son Morris and grandson Joseph both worked with him, though only the latter was truly suited for the business of craftsmanship. Some of the house's best work was made during the 1940s and 1950s when they became known for the British fashion of modern goldwork and combined it with an innate whimsy. They moved to West London in the sixties and found further success with the brand's iconic playful designs as Joseph’s sons Roger and Paul took over the helm, creating exceptionally well-made, high-quality jewelry.
The House of Kutchinsky will always be remembered for leading the market alongside contemporary designers such as Andrew Grima and John Donald in the fifties and sixties; in reward, all were included in Graham Hughes’s groundbreaking exhibition Modern Jewelry in 1961.