A huge one of a kind vintage 1950s handmade sterling silver copper enamel modernist pendant on cord necklace by San Diego artist/craftsman Barney Reid (1913-1992). A very large quite rare and outstanding example of the modernist enamel art created by this important California artist from the mid 20th century! Truly wearable art! A founding member of San Diego’s Allied Craftsmen, Reid was a talented artisan and prolific in many media including metal, clay, wood, and marble, as well as oil painting and furniture design. A selection was featured in several shows in the 1950s and 60s at New York City’s Museum of Contemporary Crafts, including Enamels in 1959. Reid's work was prominently displayed in the exhibition "San Diego Craft Revolution" at the Mingei Museum in San Diego in 2012. One of Reid's larger works, a multipanel enamel mobile, sold at Christie's in 2016 for over $32K before auction fees and taxes! Pendant measures 3-1/2" by 2-3/4" wide on a 26" length leather cord that can be re-tied at varying lengths, and weighs 37.2 grams total. Marked at back with artist signature as shown. Excellent vintage condition.

Here is a short biography of the artist that I compiled from online sources: Barney Reid grew up in Yuma Valley, Arizona earning his BA at Arizona State College. He moved to San Diego to work as a graphic designer after teaching at Arizona State University (between 1946-49) and launched ReidArt offering screen-printed fabrics and textiles. Barney Reid’s jewelry was exhibited nationally in the 1950s and '60s and for a time he shared a studio with Harry Bertoia. Reid’s enamels were featured in several prominent exhibitions throughout the country including the prestigious annual Decorative Arts and Ceramics Exhibition at the Wichita Art Association in 1952, 1953 and 1954; Enamel: An Historic Survey to the Present Day, organized by the Cooper Union Museum for the Arts of Decoration in 1954; the seminal Enamels at New York’s Museum of Contemporary Crafts in 1959; and the Scripps Annual in Claremont, California in 1964. One of Reid’s most inventive works – an abstraction in which small enamel panels were mounted on a horizontal wood panel in a lively, interlocking composition – was featured in a 1957 article in Craft Horizons – the forerunner to American Craft – in an article titled 'Plaque Bouillabaisse'. Reid’s works from the late ‘40s through the ‘60s are quite scarce. By the mid-1970s until his death he worked almost exclusively in intaglio printmaking.

A copper enamel and sterling silver pendant on the original leather cord by San Diego artist/designer Barney Reid circa 1950s.

Available...

www.rubylane.com/item/1879775...

#barneyreid #sandiego #californiadesign #modernistjewelry #copperenamel #enamelart #art #oneofakind #handmade #wearableart

A huge and quite rare vintage 1950s handmade copper enamel modernist pendant on cord necklace by San Diego artist/craftsman Barney Reid (1913-1992). A very large quite rare and outstanding example of the modernist enamel art created by this important California artist from the mid 20th century! Truly wearable art and a one of a kind! A founding member of San Diego’s Allied Craftsmen, Reid was a talented artisan and prolific in many media including metal, clay, wood, and marble, as well as oil painting and furniture design. It is his work in enamel and jewelry, however, for which he is best known. A selection was featured in several shows in the 1950s and 60s at New York City’s Museum of Contemporary Crafts, including Enamels in 1959. Reid's work was prominently displayed in the exhibition "San Diego Craft Revolution" at the Mingei Museum in San Diego in 2012. One of Reid's larger works, a multipanel enamel mobile, sold at Christie's in 2016 for over $32K before auction fees and taxes! This pendant measures 3" in diameter, and hangs on the original 20" cord that can be retied at different lengths as desired, or even replaced for larger sizes. Marked at back as shown in the photos. Excellent vintage condition.

A skilled graphic designer, Reid worked as the art director at the Naval Electronics Lab, Point Loma, San Diego from 1951 to 1969. During this time he was commissioned by the Lab to create two murals for their cafeteria. He also created a mural for the Port of San Diego. In the 1950s and 1960s, Reid’s enamels were featured in several prominent exhibitions throughout the country including the prestigious annual Decorative Arts and Ceramics Exhibition at the Wichita Art Association in 1952, 1953 and 1954; Enamel: An Historic Survey to the Present Day, organized by the Cooper Union Museum for the Arts of Decoration in 1954; the seminal Enamels at New York’s Museum of Contemporary Crafts in 1959; and the Scripps Annual in Claremont, California in 1964. One of Reid’s most inventive works – an abstraction in which small enamel panels were mounted on a horizontal wood panel in a lively, interlocking composition – was featured in a 1957 article in Craft Horizons – the forerunner to American Craft – in an article titled Plaque Bouillabaisse." Reid's work was also prominently featured in the groundbreaking exhibition, "San Diego's Craft Revolution —From Post-War Modern to California Design" at the Mingei International Museum in San Diego from 2011-2012. This painting is on artist board that has been laid down on a wood backing just slightly larger than the painting as shown, and has a small hanging loop at back top. Measures 16.75" tall by 5" wide. Not signed, and was from the artists personal collection and no doubt displayed during the holiday season by the artist and his family. As noted above, the certificate from the estate which is signed by the artist's daughter, Julia Reid Miller, will accompany this artwork to its new home. Excellent vintage condition.

A huge vintage 1950s handmade sterling silver copper enamel modernist pendant on cord necklace by San Diego artist/craftsman Barney Reid (1913-1992). A very large quite rare and outstanding example of the modernist enamel art created by this important California artist from the mid 20th century! Truly wearable art! A founding member of San Diego’s Allied Craftsmen, Reid was a talented artisan and prolific in many media including metal, clay, wood, and marble, as well as oil painting and furniture design. A selection was featured in several shows in the 1950s and 60s at New York City’s Museum of Contemporary Crafts, including Enamels in 1959. Reid's work was prominently displayed in the exhibition "San Diego Craft Revolution" at the Mingei Museum in San Diego in 2012. One of Reid's larger works, a multipanel enamel mobile, sold at Christie's in 2016 for over $32K before auction fees and taxes! Pendant measures 3-1/2" by 2-3/4" wide on a 26" length leather cord that can be re-tied at varying lengths, and weighs 37.2 grams total. Marked at back with artist signature as shown. Excellent vintage condition.

Enamel art and a small painting by San Diego enamelist/artist Barney Reid circa 1950s.

Available in my Ruby Lane shop...

www.rubylane.com/shop/califor...

#barneyreid #sandiego #enamel #enamelart #painting #modernart #modernistenamel #jewelrydesign #handmade #californiadesign #modernism #design