On Sept. 19, the famed American jeweler David Webb will open its first-ever in-house exhibition at its boutique on Madison Avenue. Entitled A Stroll within the Woods: David Webb’s Suave Animals, it’s a many-splendored salute to one of many founding designer’s most enduringly stylish inspirations: the animal kingdom.
The enduring David Webb zebra is, in fact, on the heart of this gathering of attractive beasts and is joined by frogs, cats, snakes, horses, and monkeys, most sporting some mixture of valuable metals, beautiful gems, and gleaming enamel.
Initially slated for spring 2020 however delayed as a result of pandemic, the exhibition will run by way of Oct. 2 and be by appointment solely. It would showcase over 40 jewels and objets alongside curated archival supplies and multimedia.
Zebra bracelet, brooch, and ring in black and white enamel, 18k gold, and platinum with cabochon rubies and brilliant-cut diamonds, costs on request
Giraffe bracelet in black and white enamel, 18k gold, and platinum with cabochon rubies and brilliant-cut diamonds, value on request
Based by Asheville, N.C.–born jeweler David Webb in 1948, the home has been steadily reenergizing since 2010, when Mark Emanuel, a former property jewellery seller, acquired the corporate. An encyclopedic archive of design sketches is a defining a part of the legacy that Webb left behind upon his loss of life in 1975. Since 2013, Levi Higgs, a key rent for the model, has made these archival works his playground on social media and past and now heads the archives as David Webb’s director of name heritage.
Which can be how Higgs grew to become conscious of a movie that’s being reimagined for the exhibition: In 1964, when David Webb acquired the distinguished Coty American Style Critics’ Award for his groundbreaking animals, the committee confirmed a movie by trend photographer Milton Greene and trend illustrator Joe Eula referred to as A Stroll within the Woods, depicting Webb’s zebras, horses, frogs, and giraffes in enamel, diamonds, and gems. The Coty award affirmed Webb’s standing as considered one of America’s preeminent jewellery designers.
The brand new movie was created by photographer and videographer Noah Kalina, identified for his viral work On a regular basis and his pictures ebook Cabin Porn, and set to music by cellist Patrick Belaga.
Archival photographs are interspersed among the many jewellery displays. Left: Sketch of an owl brooch (1969) designed in 18k gold and platinum and white and inexperienced enamel, with briolette-cut amethyst and brilliant-cut diamonds; sketch of frog brooch (12 months 1964) that led to a ultimate piece made in 18k gold and platinum, inexperienced enamel, and brilliant-cut diamonds (images courtesy of David Webb).
One other exhibition spotlight: two owl jewels, plucked from the archives and created particularly for the exhibition from unique David Webb sketches.
Winking Owl brooch in black enamel, textured 18k gold, and platinum with tumbled and cabochon turquoise and brilliant-cut diamonds, value on request
“After reviewing the archives and discovering the 2 owls, which had by no means been seen earlier than, it was a becoming alternative to introduce them as completed works throughout the exhibition,” says Higgs, who revealed a private fondness for owls on this story he wrote for The Adventurine on a customized “pandemic jewel.”
He writes, “I’ve at all times favored owls…. If I needed to pinpoint occasions that result in this being so, I’d say maybe the curiosity stems from recognizing one big barn owl out my window one snowy morning in Wyoming rising up, sitting excessive atop a phone pole. To me, they symbolize the forest. I’m a Virgo, an earth signal, and I really feel most at peace whereas mountain climbing by way of a mountain path, the mist retreating in my wake.”
And when Higgs was conducting analysis for the David Webb exhibition in 2019, he uncovered fairly a number of owl jewels from David Webb’s archive. It impressed him have a David Webb gold owl ring specifically created for him when he and his group completed the catalog.
Right here’s a peek at a few of the different creatures that shall be on show within the exhibition so you recognize the place to search for them. Nobody likes surprises within the woods!
Horse brooch in 18k gold with pure black pearl, marquise-cut ruby, and brilliant-cut diamonds, value on request
From left: Snake field in 18k gold and enamel with carved sapphire, marquise-cut rubies, and previous mine–, sensible, and single-cut diamonds; Monkey and Turtle obelisk in 18k gold and rock crystal with brilliant-cut diamonds; and Monkey Head field in textured 18k gold and enamel with cabochon cat’s-eye tourmaline, oval-cut emeralds, and pear-shape and brilliant-cut diamonds; costs on request
Leopard bracelet 18k gold, platinum, and enamel with diamonds and emeralds, value on request
Prime: Lounging Leopard brooch in 18k gold, platinum, and black enamel with oval cabochon emeralds and brilliant-cut diamonds, value on request (picture: Noah Kalina)
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