Do You Have a Signature Piece?

Photo by Carl van Vechten, 1950. Library of Congress. Click to enlarge

Georgia O’Keeffe did.  Part of her self styling for photographs was a whimsical pin made for her by Alexander Calder in 1934.  It spelled out her initials, “OK.” However, she usually wore it vertically so that looked more abstract.  Unless you knew to look, you might miss the letters.

Unknown photographer, 1972. The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Click to enlarge

The original was made in brass, but she loved it so much she had it coped in silver on a trip to India.  The silver version is a frequent accessory in photos as she aged, a compliment to her silver hair.

I know lots of people with signature jewelry pieces, from necklaces to bracelets, but I don’t have one.  Maybe I should invest in a Calder pin on ebay selling for a mere $112,000, and only $500 shipping!  Alas, it is just an “O” shape, not matching any of my initials.

This entry was posted in 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to Do You Have a Signature Piece?

  1. Marilise says:

    Gee, and at that price you’d actually be “saving” $28,000 (according to the listing anyway.) Wonder what $500.00 for shipping gets you–an armed guard?

  2. Lizzie says:

    After seeing this piece in the recent O’Keeffe exhibition, it has become my life’s goal to find a Calder piece in a junk store somewhere. I can dream, right?

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