An Art Deco gilt covered box or jar with a delicate decorative finial of filigreed metal, rose quartz, variscite and intricately carved and pierced white jade by American metalsmith, designer and jeweler Marie Zimmermann (1879-1972). The covered jar comes directly from the artist's estate and is illustrated on page 251, fig. 7.54 of The Jewellery and Metalwork of Marie Zimmermann, 2012.
The substantial body and lid of bronze or copper are textured with hammer marks overall and gilded inside and out with an original rich golden finish. The base is stamped Zimmermann/Maker. The vessel measures 5.75 inches H x 4 inches diameter and is in very good original condition with expected small scuffs around base edges underfoot.
Although created during the Art Deco period, this vessel showcases Zimmermann's unique ability to harmonize disparate stylistic elements into a perfectly unified design. In this case, she combines the clean lines of the metal cup with an intricate finial composed of metal and semi-precious stones in a design that is entirely her own.
Zimmermann spent much of her creative energy developing a variety of unique and artistic finishes for her art metal designs, working with heat, wax, varnish pigments and plating techniques. Occasionally, she accented these finishes with jewels and gemstones, enameled details, and/or "found objects," including carved pieces of coral, ivory, jade and stone.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City holds the largest collection of objects by Marie Zimmermann, making their first acquisition in 1922. Zimmermann’s jewellery and metalwork designs are also included in the collections of The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Wolfsonian-Florida International University and the Columbus Museum of Art.
Provenance: The Estate of Marie Zimmermann.
