Jewelry in America: 1600-1900 - Softcover

Fales, Martha Gandy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1851492232 ISBN 13: 9781851492237

Publisher: Antique Collectors Club Ltd, 1995

Synopsis

This is the first book to reveal and document the beauty and importance of the most cherished possessions of Americans. It identifies the most prevalent forms of jewelry worn in America from 1600-1900, whether made in that country or elsewhere, and charts the changes in form, style, materials and techniques, contrasting locally made jewelry with that imported from around the world.
By relating jewelry to other forms of decorative art a basis is provided for dating and identification. Contemporary newspapers, business records, literary sources, patent records and family papers document its history. The role played by individual jewelers is discussed and American portraiture is used to show the kind of jewelry favoured in the United States and how it was worn. Most of the 250 colour and 280 black and white plates have never before been published.
It is hoped that this lavishly illustrated book, as well as illuminating an important facet of America's history, will unearth many of the significant examples of American jewelry which still lie hidden, unrecognised and unappreciated.

About this title

About the Author:

Martha Gandy Fales was first an Assistant Curator and later Keeper of Silver at the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum in Wilmington, Delaware.

From Library Journal:

At last, here is a comprehensive, chronologically organized study of jewelry as it was worn by both men and women from Colonial days to the turn of the century in America. Fales (Early American Silver for the Cautious Collector, LJ 10/1/70) details the provenance of the pieces described or illustrated, especially in tracing the history of domestic jewelry manufacture vs. the wearing of imported European jewelry. European influence on American style-and of America on Europe-can be seen. The text is divided into four sections by period, with each section offering an overview and a discussion of styles, forms, materials used, and jewelers. Over 500 illustrations, all carefully documented, show examples of necklaces, brooches, rings, bracelets, and other forms of adornment less familiar to us now. A sumptuous yet scholarly work that is very highly recommended for academic, museum, and specialized collections.?Therese Duzinkiewi Baker, Western Kentucky Univ. Libs., Bowling Green
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Antique Collectors Club Ltd
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 1851492232
• ISBN 13: 9781851492237
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 447