Hand Wrought Arts & Crafts Metalwork and Jewelry: 1890-1940

The Arts and Crafts Movement, a fascinating period in American decorative history, led to the unprecedented commercialization of fine crafts and the empowerment of thousands of women and immigrants, who began to pursue new careers in design and handicraft. In 1893, the World's Fair in Chicago heralded the egalitarian art movement in America that led to the establishment of a plethora of metalwork and jewelry companies and studios by the turn of the century. Darcy Evon documents how these new trends spread throughout the Midwest and eventually the country, led by innovative pioneers who inspired an entire nation. They designed exquisite, original pieces of metalwork and jewelry by hand, starting with basic raw materials. Dozens of previously unidentified shops, artists, their creations, and accurate information on well-known historical figures, are featured for the first time in this important, major publication. Organized by trade name and location, this book is for collectors, dealers, and art historians, as well as artisans.