A super rare vintage 1940s 50s one of a kind handmade sterling silver futuristic modernist necklace by top-tier mid century modernist silversmith Ed Wiener (1918-1991) of New York City. A striking modernist design entirely handmade from sterling silver sheet that is polished bright at the sides and back, and with four oxidized black plaques at front each with a different futuristic raised design. The symbols portrayed look like futuristic architecture to me, but someone else might see something different. I've only ever seen this design before on a pair of cufflinks by Wiener, this is the only time I've run across this necklace in my 45+ year career! No doubt super rare, and very likely a one of a kind creation! Ed Wiener was born in 1918, but didn't start making jewelry or art of any kind until after WWII in 1945. He was instantly successful, and the very next year opened his first shop in Provincetown selling Mexican silver jewelry and craft items alongside his own creations. and later the same year opened his first stuio in the East Village. Early the next year, he opened a shop called "Arts and Ends" which was open at one location or another for most of his remaining life. In his early years he worked mostly in silver, but later on added gold and gemstones to his repetoire. He passed in 1991, having left a diverse and impressive body of work, and is accounted amongst the greatest of studio jewelers of his generation. Measures 15" wearable length presently, and easily adjusted for larger sizes by added extra links at back at the closure. Measures about 1.75" wide at front oxidized plaques. Weighs over 65 grams total. Marked "Ed Wiener Sterling" as shown. Excellent vintage condition.

A super rare possibly one of a kind handmade sterling silver futuristic modernist necklace by Ed Wiener of NYC circa 1950.

Available...

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

#handmade #modernistjewelry #necklace #edwiener #nyc #greenwichvillage #circa1950 #vintagemodern #oneofakind #art #wearableart

A superb vintage 1940s 50s one of a kind handmade sterling silver and moonstone 'boomerang' modernist brooch pin with matching clip earrings by top-tier mid century modernist silversmith Ed Wiener of New York City. A striking modernist design in extra large format that makes an incredible statement when worn! (A similar but smaller (2-1/4" by 3-3/4") version of this otherwise exact same pin was consigned for sale at Wright Auctions by Mark McDonald estimated in the $2-3K range without the matching earrings! - see last photo a screengrab from the auction listing. ) This pin measures 4-3/8" across at furthest two points by 3", the earrings measure 1-7/8" by 1", and the set weighs 44.2 grams total. Marked "Ed Wiener Sterling" on one of the earrings, the other pieces aren't marked which wasn’t unusual at the time for sets of jewelry. (Another smaller set of similar design with pearls was up at auction at Wright in Chicago in June of 2019 with one earring marked from the set, and was estimated at $3000-$5000.) Good quality moonstones with strong blue/white adularescence in both earrings, and the moonstone in the brooch is more white than blue and has a more diffused 'eye'. Excellent vintage condition.

Classic MCM studio jewelry by one of the greats!
An Ed Wiener sterling and moonstone brooch and earrings set circa 1950.

Available...

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

#edwiener #jewelry #nyc #mcm #handmade #studiojewelry #wearableart #beforestartrek #boomerang #design #vintagemodern #moderndesign

For sale here is a RARE pair of vintage 1950s handmade sterling silver and wood modernist cufflinks by Ed Wiener NYC, and purchased from him by world-famous photographer Arnold Crane in the 1950s and in his personal collection until just recently purchased from the estate. An iconic mid century modernist design in sterling silver and wood by one of the greats of the period! Ed Wiener was a native New Yorker born in 1918, and began his career in artist circles in the 1940s in Greenwich Village in New York City where he had a studio. His work is decidedly modernist and less surrealist than some of his contemporaries. His clients included the sculptor Louise Nevelson, and the dancer Martha Graham. He worked in silver for the most part, often combining it with wood and semiprecious gemstones like cultured pearls, amethyst and other varieties of quartz. In the early 1960s he branched out into using gold and more valuable gemstones in his jewelry, but the earlier silver designs will always be my favorites! He passed away in 1991 at the age of 73. The cufflinks measure 3/4" wide by 3/8" tall at fronts, and the pair weigh 10.7 grams total. They are marked at back "Ed Wiener Sterling" though the mark is partially obscured by the swivelbacks, but the mark is still readable. Excellent vintage condition

These cufflinks were originally owned by Arnold Crane (1932-2014), an American collector and photographer of global renown, and are from his estate. From the 1950’s through the 1990’s, Crane enjoyed unparalleled access to such giants as Man Ray, Walker Evans, Ansel Adams and Edward Steichen and many others. His photography collection was the largest in the world at that time and became the lynchpin acquisition of a special wing of the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. His collections of African, Oceanic and Native American art are well-known. He was an early collector of Mexican silver from Taxco, and his collection included works by Spratling, Los Castillo, Hector Aguilar, Salvador Teran, and Sigi, among others. He also collected the works of a few of the American modernists including of course this pair by early American studio artist Ed Wiener. His own photographic artwork is found in the permanent collections of the Met, MOMA and the Art Institute of Chicago. See also my photograph of Crane taken in the latter part of his life. These cufflinks were originally purchased by Crane directly from Ed Wiener in New York City in the 1950s where he lived and worked at that time, and were in his collection until his death in 2014, and I just recently acquired them from his estate.

A great pair of sterling and wood modernist cufflinks made by Ed Wiener of NYC, and from the estate of acclaimed photographer and collector Arnold Crane.

Available in my Ruby Lane shop...

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

#cufflinks #modernistcufflinks #edwiener #nyc #arnoldcrane #photography #art