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This marsh-bird brooch was originally mounted to a tortoiseshell hair comb, a design that was first illustrated on the cover of England’s Guild of Handicraft catalog around 1903. A key figure of England’s Arts & Crafts movement, Ashbee founded the Guild in 1888. In an era of mass production he advocated for a model whereby a single artist or small studio, from start to finish, designed and fabricated jewelry. This hair comb was designed by Ashbee and made by metalworker A. Gabhardt and enamelist William Mark. In 1903 it was available for sale in the UK for £33, an extraordinary sum at a time when a loaf of bread cost just a few pennies. As tastes shifted in the early 20th century, the flowing tresses preferred by women during the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau eras gave way to short avant-garde hairstyles. The transparent plique-a-jour enamel would have been striking in the stylish up-dos worn in the early years of the 20th century.
Marsh-bird brooch
Designed by: Charles Robert Ashbee (English, 1863–1942)
Adolf Gebhardt
William Mark (Australian (active in England), 1868–1956)
Adolf Gebhardt
William Mark (Australian (active in England), 1868–1956)
English
Arts and Crafts
1901–02
Medium/Technique
Gold, silver, enamel, moonstone, topaz, freshwater pearl
Dimensions
Height x width x depth: 9 x 10.5 x 1.5 cm (3 9/16 x 4 1/8 x 9/16 in.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase with funds donated by Susan B. Kaplan, Marshall H. Gould Fund, John H. and Ernestine A. Payne Fund, Linda Fenton, Dorothy-Lee Jones Fund, Penny Vinik, and Adrienne Iselin Gilbert Memorial Fund
Accession Number2007.827
ClassificationsJewelry / Adornment – Brooches
This marsh-bird brooch was originally mounted to a tortoiseshell hair comb, a design that was first illustrated on the cover of England’s Guild of Handicraft catalog around 1903. A key figure of England’s Arts & Crafts movement, Ashbee founded the Guild in 1888. In an era of mass production he advocated for a model whereby a single artist or small studio, from start to finish, designed and fabricated jewelry. This hair comb was designed by Ashbee and made by metalworker A. Gabhardt and enamelist William Mark. In 1903 it was available for sale in the UK for £33, an extraordinary sum at a time when a loaf of bread cost just a few pennies. As tastes shifted in the early 20th century, the flowing tresses preferred by women during the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau eras gave way to short avant-garde hairstyles. The transparent plique-a-jour enamel would have been striking in the stylish up-dos worn in the early years of the 20th century.
DescriptionThe brooch was originally a hair ornament that was converted to a brooch (silver pin stem and "C" hook added). Conversion probably occurred shortly after the ornament was made. The hair comb was fabricated by A. Gebhardt and enamelist William Mark, both members of the Guild of Handicraft.
Marks
Unmarked
ProvenanceBy early 1970s, said to have been in an American private collection (Gloria Lieberman, Skinner's Auctioneers); purchased by MFA from Skinner, Boston ["Fine Jewelry," Sept. 18, 2007] (Accession date: December 12, 2006)