Dorrie Nossiter, Jewelry Designer 1893- 1977

Looking through some auction catalogs on the internet I came across a colorful brooch that I just love! It is made by a jewelry designer who I am unfamiliar with, Dorrie Nossiter. She was British and although her jewelry is considered arts and crafts, I think it is more modern and may have influenced  50's and 60's costume jewelry designers.

Silver Gold Sapphire Moonstone Peridot Garnet Chrysoberyl Ruby. Diameter: 5.00 cm (1.97 in) British, c.1930, Fitted Case

Sapphire, moonstone, green zircon, peridot, garnet, chrysoberyl & ruby. Literature: cf. Jewelry & Metalwork in the Arts & Crafts Tradition, Elyse Zorn Karlin, 1993, page 85. Silver Jewelry Designs, Nancy N. Schiffer, 1996, page 101. Ref: 6538

DORRIE NOSSITER 1893-1977, Arts & Crafts Clip Brooch ,Silver Gold Amethyst Moonstone Garnet Ruby. H: 4.6 cm (1.81 in)  W: 2.4 cm (0.94 in), British, c.1930. Fitted Case. Literature: cf. Jewelry & Metalwork in the Arts & Crafts Tradition, Elyse Zorn Karlin, 1993, page 85. Silver Jewelry Designs, Nancy N. Schiffer, 1996, page 101

DORRIE NOSSITER 1893-1977, Arts & Crafts Clip Brooch ,Silver Gold Amethyst Moonstone Garnet Ruby. H: 4.6 cm (1.81 in)  W: 2.4 cm (0.94 in), British, c.1930. Fitted Case. Literature: cf. Jewelry & Metalwork in the Arts & Crafts Tradition, Elyse Zorn Karlin, 1993, page 85. Silver Jewelry Designs, Nancy N. Schiffer, 1996, page 101

DORRIE NOSSITER 1893-1977

Arts & Crafts Brooch Silver Gold Citrine Tourmaline Pearl. H: 4.3 cm (1.69 in)  W: 3.9 cm (1.54 in)

British, c.1930, Fitted Case, Literature: cf. Twentieth-century Jewellery, From Art Nouveau to Contemporary Design in Europe and the United States, Alba Cappellieri, 2010, Illustrated p.137.

ISBN: 978-88-6130-532-8. Jewelry & Metalwork in the Arts & Crafts Tradition, Elyse Zorn Karlin, 1993, page 85

Silver Jewelry Designs, Nancy N. Schiffer, 1996, page 101Ref: 6190

DORRIE NOSSITER 1893-1977, Arts & Crafts Clip Brooches , Silver Gold Citrine Amethyst Pearl

Diameter: 3.30 cm (1.3 in), British, 1930, Fitted Case

Literature: cf. Jewelry & Metalwork in the Arts & Crafts Tradition, Elyse Zorn Karlin, 1993, page 85

Silver Jewelry Designs, Nancy N. Schiffer, 1996, page 101. Ref: 3027

DORRIE NOSSITER 1893-1977, Arts & Crafts Clip Brooch , Silver Gold Amethyst Citrine
H: 4.6 cm (1.81 in)  W: 3.4 cm (1.34 in), British, c.1930. Fitted Case
Literature: cf. Jewelry & Metalwork in the Arts & Crafts Tradition, Elyse Zorn Karlin, 1993, page 85
Silver Jewelry Designs, Nancy N. Schiffer, 1996, page 101. Ref: 4816

All images of Dorrie Nossiter Jewellery, from Tadema Gallery Website.

Earring clips  by Mimi Favre, 2007. 18k gold, peridot, tourmalines, aquamarine, topaz, pink sapphire.

Silver pearls and blue stones

Tanzanite, cultured pearls, kyanite, 18k gold

Classic pearl necklace  is handstrung with accent of blue kyanite beads and 18k spacers. Tanzanite cabochon enhancer set in 18k gold. 

Baroque South Sea pearl with Sapphires from Africa.

Natural color baroque pearl is 17mm. African sapphires set in platinum. 

Available for purchase at TayloePiggottGallery in Jackson, Wyoming.

Fossil Coral

With gold prices at an all time high I have gone back to my metalsmithing roots. I decided to make a few pieces out of sterling silver combined with18k gold. 

 

Pendant on a long chain is an agitized fossil coral cabochon set in silver. Accent stones are garnets from Mali set in 18k gold. Interest in Natural history is evident in Victorian era jewelry. I designed this piece to be reminiscent of that period.

Long pendant of fossil coral is set in a fabricated sterling silver setting. Two Mali garnets, cognac and deep rusty brown accentuate the range of colors. 

Transitions

This is the time of year when my garden rapidly changes; everyday brings a new pallet of color. I have added plants over the years that provide all season interest.

Hydrangea quercifolia or native oak leaf hydrangea pictured in early summer.

It's late October and the leaves are a range of burgundy shades and the flower petals are like dried paper.

Sterling and 18k Hydrangea Earrings

This old squirrel ornament sits in the garden. I have seen real squirrels take a closer look and then run off up a tree.

Squirrel Pendant is carved and cast in sterling silver with 18k eyes

This is zelkova serrata growing in a container on my deck. Soon it will have lost all of it's leaves. But first I'll slip a few between some pages in my sketchbook.

Luxury

Here is Joachim Murat, brother in law of Napolean aka 'the dandy king'. As I stood before this huge painting at The Louvre in Paris, I was struck by the fashionable look of this fellow. Sporting a real tiger hide as blanket, jeweled saber, fancy bridle and pointy boots. Wow, so fashionable and so French!

That portrait made me think of Hermes which began as a bridle and saddle maker.  Today it is one of the world's great luxury brands. 

Shop window at night all dressed for fall. That is an alligator coat!

The fox isn't real but the dirt on the floor is. This picture does not capture the richness of the scene. These windows were unbelievably full of luxury goods. A visual feast.

Photo's are from my recent trip to France. 

Amethyst and Spinel Brooch

My AGTA Spectrum 2011 Entry. Elongated pear shape cabachon is natural untreated Amethyst from Bolivia. Faceted spinel outline the center stone.  I made an 18karat enhancer to wear as a pendant. Completely hand fabricated in 18 karat gold and platinum.

Reverse view shows the platinum settings and the heavy solid 18karat wire that encircles the settings. The amethyst weighs 25 carats. 

I purchased the amethyst at the 2010 GJX in Tuscon from an independent cutter.  The spinel have such a beautiful range of blue and lavender color. Together the combination makes a dramatic color statement.

red and green: Autumn color palette

One of my favorite color combinations, red and green, is found in Autumn when the color palette of the landscape is transformed. Summer flowers become beautiful colorful seed pods. The contrast is so striking and beautiful.

Paeonia obovata

Euonymous americanus

Quatrefoil pendant set with tourmaline and Mali garnet is 18k gold and oxidized silver. Handmade 18k gold chain.
 Inquire or purchase this piece.

Fashion: Vintage Couture Necklaces

 Collarettes by Lanvin, embroidery and cut crystals, France ca. 1930, 1928.  
Images: Costume Jewelry for Haute Couture by Florence Muller. 

I noticed these vintage costume necklaces while perusing the pages of Costume Jewelry for Haute Couture by Florence Muller, Edited by Patrick Sigal. This book surveys jewelry pieces made mostly in France specifically for couture collections. Sadly, most of the costume jewelry industry in France is no longer in business. Each generation 'discovers' new looks. These striking examples remind me of necklaces currently found in stores like Anthropologie or J. Crew. Fashion is indeed fickle.

Necklace by Maison Gripoix, for Chanel. Glass, enamel, metal. France, ca. 1930.
Image: Costume Jewelry for Haute Couture

Classic Chanel combination of chain, charms and color.

Christian Dior, stamped metal cones and rosettes. France c. 1950

Made for Schiaparelli. Silk, feathers, metal, chain. France ca. 1953

All images are from  Costume Jewelry for Haute Couture by Florence Muller. 

Jewelry Collection

I spent a few days at the Tayloe Piggott Gallery in Jackson, Wyoming this past week. The gallery represents contemporary American fine artists and selected jewelry designers. 

This case holds a collection of my jewelry designs. 

Aquamarine

Natural unheated aquamarine with sapphires in 18k gold. One of a kind.

South Sea Pearls

More necklaces! Both feature South Sea Pearl enhancers. I added a small Australian boulder opal cab with predominantly blue and green flashes of color to the silver baroque pearl. The pendant is shown on a faceted kyanite bead necklace. The pale yellow drop pearl is paired with a greenish yellow African sapphire and hangs from faceted peridot beads.

Both necklaces are handstrung with my own 18k toggle clasps.  

green

I would be the first to admit that green is one of my favorite colors and green stones are no exception. The green bands within this emerald cut quartz is created by the presence of Epidote, a mineral. The lighter green beads are very lively chrysoberyl, some with cat's eyes, and the bright green are peridot which also happens to be the birthstone for August.

  

The setting and spacers are oxidzed sterling silver. Both strands of beads have been handstrung and knotted to lay close together. This necklace is part of a small collection I am making for Tayloe Piggott Gallery in Jackson, Wyoming.

blue and gray

Three pairs of earrings are part of a small collection that I am currently making. Silvery gray-blue tahitian pearls with blue spinel and quartz drops. Tahitian pearls are natural color and this is my favorite shade. The long drop quartz are from Brazil. I love the elongated shape and cut. The violet blue shade of the spinel is unusual and very pretty. All jewelry is 18k. 

I have a new jewelry stamp of my name FAVRE, seen here on the reverse of the quartz drop earrings.

4th of July

Happy Birthday USA.

Color - found in the NYC subway

This subway mosaic is circa 1917. Mosaics like this are found in all of the older subway stations in a huge variety of color combinations. They were designed and created as efficient attractive and easy to maintain sinage. This one caught my eye; I love this color combination.

Later, I bought these! Tourmalines for earrings.

Inspiration

Notable New Yorker cartoonist Gahan Wilson gave a memorable talk that I attended when I was in art school. He showed large lecture hall sized slides of his now famous cartoons and clever captions. While I can only recall a few of the images, I never forgot his reply to a question about inspiration. He said "I paint what I see."