Daily camera., 1901-04-29
NEW ART JEWELRY.
Curious and Very Costly Pieces
Made by Master Workmen.
Revival of Wonderful Metal Work Of
Renaissance Times POpularised
by the Paris Exposition-
Features of Work.


Features of Work.
A new fad in jewelry has slowly
been making it's way to favor in recen,
years, and the Paris exposition
brought it into something like popu-
larity. Fortunately, the expense OF
the work and the fact that it appeals
to the artistic taste more than to the
canons of elegance generally current
promises to keep the fashion from be-
coming fatally common, says the New
York Sun.
The Salique jewelry is perhaps the
finest example of this new work
which is, after all, old, for it works
back to the wonderful metal work of
renaissance times and makes the pre-.
cious metals merely incidental. The
exhibition of Rene Salique's work at
the exposition was revelation to the
host who had known nothing about
him.
This work has been eagerly sought
for in Europe for years past, but his
prices are fabulous and he does not
sell to dealers, but works only on spe'
cial orders, which it may be his whim
to accept; so, up to the present time,
his Jewels have been obtained only by
royal personages or other illustrious
patrons, and their number is not very
great.
Castellani, in Rome, has had repu-
tation for work of the same general
order as Salique's, although he has
achieved nothing to equal the Salique
jewels, and crowd of lesser lights
have been following the same path
with more or less success.
OF course. the central idea of this
jewelry is beauty and eXclusiveness of
design. The masters of '1e craft. like
Salique, often make the jewel, what
ever il may be, with direct reference
to the appearance" a"d personality of
the woman WI ir wear it, and this
opens up an EN-, w \ of suggestive
and symbolic possibility.
Then again the jewel may be made
merely to carry out conception in the
mind of the artist, without ref
erence to the future owner. Rare
stones are introduced wherever the
design requires their color, but very
often the semi-precious stones an
swer the artistic requirements better
than the more costly jewels and are
used by preference. without thought
of the comparative cost.
If patron is willing to put crown S
ransom of rubics into An order and
Salique thinks pink topaz or lapis
azuli accords better with his design,
the buyer doesn't get the rubies,
Moonstones are particular favorites
with Salique and with many OF his
followers. because they lend them
selves to symbolism and suggestion
without dctracting from the effect of
the metal work and design. One of
the most remarkable pieces of this
art icwehy ever turned out was a
comb in design OF bats flying through
the filtered light of moonstones.
American designers are taking ur
-he art jewel idea. and new era of
extravaganza in jcwelry is evidently
at hand. Gorgeous tiaras and stom-
achers of diamonds will not do now.
My lady must have specially designed
and eccentric jewelry Of which there
is no duplicate, which bears the sig
nature of master craftsman.
Several of the New York jewelers.
brought home quantities of signed
Jewels in unusual designs, and have
sold them rapidly. One ring for a
man, labeled 1.-The Heart OF the Oak"
and signed by famous French work.
man, was a particularly good speci-
men. although il hadn't hint of a
precious stone about it. The ring was
wrought in semblance of bark, and
bore a strange, satyrlike head, that
at first glance looked merely like the
gnarled knot on limb of tree.
One Chicago woman has taken up
this art jewel craft with immense sue
cess, and has orders so far in advance
that she says it will be impossible for
her to promise anything before 1903,