description Arthur King Overview
Arthur King (1921-1991) was a self-taught American jeweler associated with modernist jewelry of the mid-20th century. He worked with baroque pearls, geodes, and raw or carved semiprecious stones, often treating irregular natural forms as central design elements rather than hiding them. His work is of interest to collectors of studio jewelry, American modernism, and vintage gemstone pieces.
help Arthur King FAQ
Who was Arthur King, the jewelry designer?
Arthur King was a self-taught American jeweler born in 1921 who died in 1991. He became prominent in the 1960s for sculptural jewelry built around unusual stones and organic metal forms.
What materials did Arthur King use?
King worked with baroque pearls, geodes, rough semi-precious stones, carved gems, silver, and gold. His early experiments even used scrap metal and shark teeth during his years in the Merchant Marine.
Where did Arthur King establish his career?
He opened an early shop in New York's Greenwich Village after World War II and later opened a flagship location on Madison Avenue. His work was shown at the International Exhibition of Modern Jewellery at Goldsmiths' Hall in London in 1961.
How can I recognize Arthur King's design style?
His pieces often make stones look captured by twisting, branch-like metal rather than held in conventional symmetrical settings. Lost-wax casting, asymmetrical cuts, and tactile surfaces are recurring clues in his modernist jewelry.
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