Sunday, January 13, 2008




While I'm thinking of wearable art, I would be remiss if I didn't mention one of my all-time favorite American jewelry makers, Thomas Mann. You can check out his site if you click here and click on the "catalog" prompt, and then look at necklaces, earrings, whatever interests you.


This stuff isn't cheap like costume jewelry, but then again, it is hand-made in the USA and made of high quality materials and will long be a favorite in the jewelry wardrobe. I have two pair of his earrings (including the little heart earrings here, and the gew-gaws in the box float around behind a pane of lucite or some such. Cuteness!) and the execution is finely wrought on all the teeny washers, rivets and cold-connections as well as the fabricated bits.


Here's a tip for you shopping-challenged guys for Valentine's Day: if your girl is a steam-punkette, you'd do well to get her some of these. I really want the skulls. Unlike the usual fragile, froufy sort of stuff (not that there's anything wrong with that stuff, but we don't go to the opera every day, do we?), these pieces are engineering marvels in miniature, and there are literally dozens and dozens of different designs. These also fall into the category of collectible art jewelry. I'd be interested to hear what you think.

7 comments:

DBA Dude said...

Definitely collectible art to my eyes, and the skulls are so you Phlegmmy.

Carteach said...

I'm a purist.

To my eye, a beautiful woman needs no decoration.

Yes, at times it has it's allure....

But to me, the honesty of a lovely face waking on the pillow next to me is all the more a beautiful a woman can ever be. Bed hair and all.

I'm funny that way.

Christina RN LMT said...

I don't like the skulls very much, but the other earrings...yum!
I always like dangly earrings, not so much studs, and these definitely fit the bill. I looked at the catalog, yowch...stiff prices!
When I'm rich, I'll indulge. Does "found object" literally mean something he's found? I find that utterly fascinating, and I like the thought of wearable art.

Lin said...

Given your amazing talents with jewelry-making, have you been tempted to make your own variations on themes you have appreciated?

Kate said...

Oh, Phlegm, I *like* this stuff! Thanks for sharing the link! Wish I could afford it! Ah, well...someday!

DAMN said...

I must be missing something. I don't see anything special about these earrings. They all look like children's accessories.

Anonymous said...

Tomas Mann Hands are classics !