Jewelry of Art Smith

Born in Cuba to Jamaican parents, Smith grew up in Brooklyn and majored in sculpture at Cooper Union. He subsequently trained with jewelry designer Winifred Mason and worked in her studio in the Village before opening his own studio. Though his jewelry was clearly not mainstream, he did have business relationships with several other stores including Bloomingdale's and his work was featured in Vogue, Harper's and the New Yorker. Designing avant-garde jewelry in the 1950's, it’s a testament to his skills as a designer and artisan that his work was admired and commissioned outside of the downtown, bohemian world in which he lived and worked.

Brooklyn's modernist jeweler Arthur Smith (1917–1982)

Lava Bracelet, circa 1946. Silver, Brooklyn Museum 

Model wearing “Modern Cuff” Bracelet, circa 1940's

Silver "Half & Half" Necklace, 1948 - Brooklyn Museum

Model wearing “Patina” Necklace