Bedazzled: 5000 Years of Jewelry----The Walters Art Museum

by Walters Art Museum, Sabine Albersmeier

This brand new and exquisitely illustrated book introduces one of the great collections of jewellery, with examples of 50 key items of jewellery dating from the 1st century BC to the turn of the twentieth century. Specific terminology, when used, is always explained; each text clearly states why a particular object is important, and the jewellery selected shows an enormous range of periods, regions, artistic and stylist development, and materials.

Signature items featured in this volume include a magnificent pair of gold bracelets discovered inside a tomb in Olbia, Ukraine, and dating to the Hellenistic Period of the 1st-century BC; a pair of gold and semi-precious stone-inlaid eagle fibulae, dating from 6th-century Visigothic Spain; a cameo and gold-mounted brooch depicting Ellen Walters, made in Italy by the Saulini family around 1862; a gold Iris Corsage ornament by Tiffany & Co., and a wonderful corsage ornament of pansy blossoms executed in a combination of cast glass and plique-à-jour enamel by René Lalique, dating from 1904.

Genres: Jewellery

Paperback

First published September 21, 2005

About the author

Founded in 1934, the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland is internationally renowned for its collection of art.

The collection was amassed by two men, William and Henry Walters, and eventually bequeathed to the City of Baltimore. Admission to the museum is free.

The Walters Art Gallery was rebranded as the Walters Art Museum in 2000.

Reviews

[Georgene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been on my Amazon wish list for several years. I finally broke down and bought it. I must have gotten one of Amazon's last copies because all they have now are used/new from secondary sellers at a HUGE mark-up!

I love jewelry! All eras, all types. I've even spent about 10 years making jewelry. So this book which covers such a long history of luscious adornment in full color is awesome!!

[Kim Browers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to see this exhibit, and I'm VERY glad I bought this book to remember it by! What a great survey of jewelry through the ages! This is a must-read for any jewelry collectors (especially historical jewelry). The gorgeousness starts at the cover, and it's more delicious from there!