1980s Arthur Koby Costume Jewelry Necklace

An EXOTIC necklace created and signed by Arthur Koby (American, b. 1940), known for jewelry that strays far from tradition. Instead, Koby hand-selected intriguing elements acquired during his international travels to realize his visionary collages of wearable art. This dazzling necklace is comprised of several strands of shimmering leaf-shaped beads (some with openwork, others engraved with foliage motifs), ovoid nickel silver medallions with raised central ribs and engraved organic motifs resembling water droplets and sunrays, strung with wire coils behind them, as well as leaf and flower petal shaped beads in teal and black respectively, and brass and translucent spacer beads. Koby created jewelry for noteworthy haute couture designers including Geoffrey Beene, Donna Karan, and Oscar de la Renta - and his jewelry has been worn by celebrities such as Barbara Walters, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Koby famously stated, 'You have to be a little daring; that's what adds excitement!' Size: choker 15" L (38.1 cm) - 12" L x 8" W (30.5 cm x 20.3 cm) below

Director of Kent State University Museum Jean Druesedow, in the press release for Koby's retrospective exhibition entitled, "Arthur Koby Jewelry: The Creative Eye" at (October 25, 2013 - October 5, 2014), summarized Koby's artistic prowess perfectly: "Architect/sculptor/jeweler: all describe the work of Arthur Koby whom Vogue Magazine described as 'one of the masters of collage.' Designer Geoffrey Beene asked Koby to provide jewelry for his runway collections as did Oscar de la Renta and Donna Karan throughout the 1980s. He combines, manipulates and assembles unexpected materials, found in his worldwide travels, into necklaces that his clients can choose to wear in full evening dress or with jeans and T-shirts. The fantasy necklaces might be made of 'drawer hinges, Victorian shoe buckles, diamond-faceted stones made from melted-down beer bottles, hand-carved buffalo horn and shredded or solidified balloons' as the New York Times put it in 1987. 'You have to be a little daring; that’s what adds excitement!' said the designer."

Provenance: private Palm Springs, California, USA collection, acquired prior to 1965, original owner Marie Trott, then Veronica Austin

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#151227
Condition Report: Signed "Arthur Koby" on back of largest nickel silver medallion bead. Brass and nickel silver beads have developed a warm age patina. Intact and wearable.