ART Jewelry - Collecting Costume Jewelry 101

ART JEWELRY – 1940S – 1970S

Very little is known about ART jewelry except that Arthur Pepper is believed to be the founder of ART. Most of the jewelry is signed ART with the copyright symbol. However, some sources also include MODE ART and MODE as signatures from the same company and date the jewelry from the late 1940s – 1970s.

All of the jewelry shown in this section is signed ART with the copyright symbol and dates to the mid 1950s through the 1970s. It is the most common and most easily found signature.

Detailed Background Design

One of the most interesting design elements found in ART jewelry is the innovative way some ART designs use tiny stones and beads to create a decorative background surface. Manipulating the colors establishes visual weight in these designs. The “jewelry eye” is drawn to the turquoise beads with the highest visual weight.

The 2″ bird and 1 3/4″ ship pins are decorated with tiny white and blue seed beads and tiny black diamond rhinestones.

The sail is decorated with turquoise seed beads. They have the highest visual weight and are the central point of focus that draws the attention of the “jewelry eye” to emphasizes the illusion of wind in the sails. This piece was constructed in two pieces. The back view shows the twisted rope detail.

This wonderful bird-in-flight design includes lines of polished metal segments decorated with tiny beads and stones. The long beak is beautifully tapered and polished.

Some ART designs have a decorative background of small rhinestones.

Measuring 2″ this pin has several interesting design features. The background is covered with tiny pink, blue, amethyst and green rhinestones. The color scheme is complex. Pink is the dominate color. It is a tint of red. The light green is a complementary color to the pink. The other colors are analogous colors and form a background for the contrasting green and pink.

The “eye” perceives this pin as round, but it is not. It has a ragged, asymmetrical edge. The placement and the angle of the pink cabochon stones is also asymmetrical.

Sometimes the background stones are larger but still cover the metal surface.

This ART 1 3/4″ butterfly pin design uses larger stones to cover the surface of the wing. It is a symmetrical design except for the color change in the blue flowers at the top of each wing. The design element LINE is used to create the scalloped edges of the wings suggesting flight. Line also defines the butterfly body and curving antennae.

ART repeated this same floral design, with the two blue flowers, in other pieces including an adorable bug pin. (not shown)

The “Y” shaped clasp is often an indication of a lower quality piece because it is easier to install than a separated hinge and catch. In a hinge and clasp design the distance between them must be perfectly spaced to accommodate the length of the pin. The “Y” design eliminates this problem. The distance from the hinge and the catch are fixed so the pin easily works. Most ART designs have the higher quality separated catch and hinge design.

The following ART bracelet features a background made from cast metal floral designs with antiqued white plating. This background forms an elaborate base for the tiny floral decorations. In nature, a well-designed garden features blooms at different levels. This design beautifully emulates a natural garden.

The link-style bracelet measures 7 1/4″ X 1″. The “jewelry eye” is comfortable with nature’s array of colorful blooms, so it also accepts the multi-color floral design in this piece.

Close view of the floral design and the antique white plating.

Visual Weight

All of these methods create a background, surface decoration. Using this type of background is one technique to establish visual weight. The background blends together but does not hold the “jewelry eye’s” attention. The “jewelry eye” focuses on the surface elements with higher visual weights. The result is a detailed, elaborate design using small elements with high visual weights.

Innovative Materials

ART jewelry designs often illustrate an innovative use of materials. For example, colorful felt is used as a background in ART’s royal motif jewelry and Maltese cross designs. The material has remained in amazingly good condition through the years.

The Maltese cross set and the scepter have a red felt background. The crown has a purple velvet background.

This ART 2″ Maltese cross pin and 1 1/8″ fleur-de-lis clip earrings is a heraldic design. The Maltese cross shape is a heraldic symbol with four V-shaped sides. The fleur-de-lis earring design represents a lily and is also a heraldic symbol.

The back view and side view show the way ART imaginatively uses felt to form a vibrantly colored red background. Note the beaded metal outlines and the scalloped metal outlines. This type of metal work is associated with Etruscan designs (see more ART Etruscan-style jewelry below.).

This especially wonderful crown features deep purple velvet in the background. Purple is a color associated with royalty because at one time purple dye was so expensive only royalty could afford it. The back of this piece is as beautifully made as the front forming a decorative frame of beaded metal to showcase the purple velvet background.

A quality design is beautiful all of the way around – around the neck in terms of a necklace – around the back for a pin.

Another example of ART’s creative use of materials is the “under the sea” set that uses genuine shells, tiny seed beads, faux pearls and faux coral. The sea motif is enhanced by the use of materials found in nature.

This ART 2 1/4″ under-the-sea pin and 1″ clip earrings features genuine seashells. The sea motif was popular with many brands in the late 1960s.

Back view showing the two-piece construction.

Etruscan Motif

ART produced some wonderful Etruscan style jewelry with detailed metal work decorated with tiny seed beads, pearls, and rhinestones.

Definition: Authentic Etruscan jewelry is characterized by elaborate metal work including lines of tiny metal beads and filigree (tiny beads and metal threads soldered together).

This Etruscan-style 2 1/2″ pin features detailed metal work in a dimensional design.

Side view and back view of this well-made pin.

This dimensional crown pin is another example of ART’s Etruscan-style jewelry. It has the same turquoise, ruby, and pearl color scheme as the pin above.

The ART faux garnet pin below is Etruscian motif jewelry. The background metal is beautifully decorated. Rich looking, faux garnets cover the center of the design in a carefully symmetrical floral pattern.

This wonderful faux garnet pin measures 1 3/4″. Due to the symmetrical placement of the garnets and the beautiful metal work, this piece could be mistaken for “real” and easily be worn with vintage Victorian Era garnet jewelry designs.

Victorian Motif

Definition: Victorian jewelry is a blanket term for jewelry made during the long reign of Queen Victoria 1837 – 1901. Due to the expansion of the empire at that time, Victorians gained a strong interest in other cultures including Greece, Roman, Egyptian, and Etruscian culture. After her husband’s death, Queen Victorian went into mourning for the remainder of her reign starting the mourning jewelry era.

In the 1940s when costume jewelry companies were conserving materials, many brands designed Victorian Revival jewelry consisting of beautiful metal work, smaller stones, and black/mourning designs. When costume jewelry is described as Victorian, it could be inspired by many, varied cultural motifs.

The love for Victorian Revival jewelry has not diminished. Many brands continued to make it through the 1960s and 1970s and beyond.

The ART choker necklace and pin below are examples of Victorian motif jewelry exhibiting elaborate metal work and tiny stones.

This ART pin and choker necklace is easily identified as Victorian Revival because it features a portrait of a Victorian lady.

The pin measures 2″ and has a layered frame decorated with tiny pearls and garnets.

This ART velvet choker necklace measures 9 1/2″ with a 4″ extension chain. The caps are decorated with tiny flowers.

One of ART’s most beautiful sets is the urn necklace and earrings set shown below. The flowing, organic lines suggest an Art Nouveau motif. Pewter color and shiny gold plate are expertly combined in this all-metal design.

Definition: Art Nouveau was popular from the 1890s until World War II and is characterized by flowing, sinuous designs usually based on natural themes.

The pendant measures 4 1/2″ and is attached to 11″ chains with a 4″ extension. The design of the 1 3/4″ earrings mirrors the pendant design.

Both the front and back views of the pendant feature sinuous lines simulating the look of natural growing vines. They are both beautiful.

All pieces are signed ART with the copyright symbol.

The frame at the top of the pendant resembles a purse frame. It is a separate piece, so the pendant is flexible and comfortable to wear.

Versatile Designs

Definition: A versatile design is a design that can be reimagined in more than one color or can be adapted to work in different design motifs. Another definition for a versatile design is a design that can be worn in more than one way.

The ART filigree metal long-stemmed floral design below is a versatile design because the design retains its integrity with various color combination.

In addition, the filigree with tiny colorful flowers design was used for other designs including a bug pin (not shown) and a floral without a stem (not shown). Filigree decorated with tiny colorful enameled flowers is a versatile, and distinctive ART design easily recognizable as the work of ART.

The earrings in the set below are unsigned; yet they are easily identifiable as being the work of ART.

Both flower pins measure just under 3″. The J-shaped clip earrings are 1″.

Back view showing the lacy construction.

Imaginative and innovative, this ART Maltese cross design incorporates ART’s signature filigree metal decorated with tiny, enameled flowers. The pin measures 2″. Each clip earring is 1″. Only the pin is signed.

Back view showing the beautiful construction and the ART signature.

ART reused stones and enameled elements to create different designs. The following ART bracelet features tiny, enameled flowers like the flower pins above and pink cabochon stones set at an angle similar to the pink pin shown earlier.

This lovely bracelet fits an average size wrist.

Beautiful Stones

The lovely ART set below features a base of antiqued gold metal with curving leaves of silver tone metal all topped with rich-looking green glass cabochon stones.

The symmetrical pin measures 2″. The matching clip earrings are 1 1/8″. Different in design, the earrings share key design traits with the pin: green cabochon stones with tiny green rhinestone accents, gold and silver plating, and curving leaves.

The next ART set not only includes beautiful stones, but it is a three-dimensional, undulating design. The decorative frame secures the stones in net-style settings. The negative space and the wavey design give the illusion of a lightweight blowing leaf.

The pin measures 2″. The 1″ earrings mirror the pin design.

Left: Close view of the decorative frame. Right: Back view showing the wavey design.

By the mid-1960s many brands were creating designs to emphasize beautiful stones both glass and resin. The following ART designs are excellent examples of how great design seamlessly incorporates eye-catching stones in interesting ways. Both pins below are monochromatic in color, dimensional, and an average wearable size.

Left: This lovely golden topaz piece measures 2 1/4″. Right: The green pin measures 1 3/4″. Both are layered, dimensional designs.

The backs are neatly and carefully constructed.

Some jewelry from the 1960s features a kaleidoscope of colorful stones in various shapes and colors. The following ART design follows this trend with colorful stones. Small floral elements, an ART brand trait, are scattered throughout the design.

The pin measures 2″, each earring is 1 1/4″. Note the difference in the shape of the pin and the earrings. The pin is round and slightly domed. The earrings are triangular and also domed.

The following pin is an elegant design for ART. It illustrates the quality ART was capable of producing.

This lovely ART pin measures 2 1/2″ and is a beautiful study in the effective use of shapes. The general shape of the pin is circular, but the graduating length of the leaves make it slightly asymmetrical. The large emerald rhinestone is the point of central focus. It beautifully frames the emerald stone with arcs of rhinestone and tiny flowers.

The back view shows the open back and the way the pointed leaves slightly curve around the piece.

The ART basket pin below was constructed in two pieces to add dimension to the summer design.

Measuring 2 1/4″ this basket pin features white cabochon stones, a textured white enameled basket, and beautifully enameled and graceful leaves. The gold plating outlining the leaves and backet has been carefully wiped clean of the enamel. In person, it is beautiful!

Figural Designs

ART designed many distinctive figural designs recognizable as ART.

Most collectors would instantly recognize these three figural pins as ART. The eagle measures 2 1/4″ and is colorfully enameled with red and orange translucent enamel. The owl also measures 2 1/4″. The parrot is 2 3/4″ and has both silver and gold tone metal.

ART also produced a series of enameled pins like this expressive fish pin shown below. In the 1960s blue and green are often paired. Blue is a primary color and green is a secondary color made by combining primary color yellow and primary color blue.

The fish measures almost 2 1/2″. The creative design contrasts the deep green enamel “mask” with the blue lips peeking through.

Modern Designs

By the late 1960s into the 1970s more and more brands created jewelry with bold creative designs reflecting individuality. These designs feature sharp angles, unusual shapes, and a strong sense of uniqueness. They are often referred to as MOD jewelry taken from the term modernist. The jewelry reflected self-confidence and self-identity which was a big change from the pretty, feminine styles from the 1950s and early 1960s.

Definition: The historical definition of modernism stems from the changes in art and philosophy in the late19th century and early20th century.

This 15″ choker necklace is a symmetrical round collar; however, it many asymmetrical elements. The frame of the rectangular links is broken at the top and the bottom. The two links nearest the chain have an entire corner removed. The stones alternate in color, symmetrically, but are placed at asymmetrical angles.

Many ART designs have textured metal with antiqued gold or silver plating. This example has smoother metal with shiny silver plating.

The stones in the earrings match the stones in the necklace, but they are fan-shaped triangles rather than rectangles. They are designed to be worn pointing to the face.

The following modernist bracelet is a mixture of symmetry and asymmetry. The rectangular link design is symmetrical, but the decoration is not.

The large bracelet measures almost 8″ long. The top is decorated with faux jade cabochon stones set at an angle and alternating lines of pearls and rhinestones.

The back construction is mostly closed and lacking the intricate metal work associated with earlier ART designs.

Author’s Recommendations:

ART jewelry is a nice choice for a beginning collector to test their skills on selecting jewelry with great design. At this time ART jewelry is easy to find and reasonably priced. Buy ART jewelry in wonderful condition with the BEST design traits. This jewelry is sized to be very wearable!

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