A rare vintage 1980s handmade mixed metals bronze and silver-plate brutalist fish pendant by American metalsmith/sculptor Lee Barnes Peck of Illinois. An extraordinary example entirely handmade, and lovely how well the silver gold and copper of the mixed metals complement the shades of the handmade wood box and vice versa! Peck was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, but worked for most of his career in Illinois with his wife Naomi, where he also taught at one of the universities. Peck is well known for his incredible one of a kind brutalist jewelry, and he also received acclaim for his decorative objects including jewelry boxes and bowls. His work was included in the book, "Objects: USA" (1970), and in numerous exhibitions and gallery shows of the time. Along with Stanley Lechtzin, the artist was one of the foremost practitioners of electroplating as an art form of his era. This is an exceptional example of one of his jewelry boxes, and has an abstract mixed metals design electroplated in the metal section inset in the lid of the wood box. The box measures 7.25" long by 4.75" wide by 2-3/8" high at rim, and weighs almost 1-1/4 pounds prior to packing. Hand etched signature at bottom as shown, "Peck & Dougherty '80", and still has the original label at bottom as well for Peck and Dougherty of Sycamore, Illinois. (Dougherty was the fellow who made the wood boxes into which Lee Barnes Peck inset his little electroplated abstract paintings, the sort of custom-made frames for his art!) There is some slight oxidation to the electroplated section as expected with time, but I haven't touched it and it is completely original and as-found. Excellent vintage condition.

A rare one of a kind abstract modernist electroplated mixed metals and wood box by Lee Barnes Peck of Illinois circa 1980.

Available...

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

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