ilonka karasz, designer American, born Hungary, 1896–1981

Tea ball and stand Designed 1928 Paye & Baker Manufacturing Company, 1901–1960s, manufacturer, North Attleboro, Massachusetts Silverplate 6 × 3M in. diam. ( 15.2 × 8.9 cm) The Jewel Stern American Silver Collection, gift of Jewel Stern, 2010.8.a–b

This boldly modern tea ball and stand by designer Ilonka Karasz is composed of repeated conical elements upon a cruciform base. The resulting harmony of geometries presents a sophisticated example of the influence of contemporary French and German metalwork design upon American silverware of the 1920s. In 1928 the Massachusetts firm of Paye & Baker commissioned Karasz to produce a series of modern hollowware designs. While relatively inexpensive to produce, their rarity today suggests few were sold, likely owing in part to a dramatically modern design that would have appealed to only the most progressive-minded American consumers.

harry bertoia American, 1915–1978

Brooch c. 1939–1943 Aluminum, thread, and steel 2 1/* × 3M × 5/* in. (5.4 × 8.9 × 1.6 cm) Gift of Deedie Rose, 2010.35

Among the most architectonic of Harry Bertoia’s jewelry designs, this “thread-wrapped” brooch is an exquisite piece, with its aluminum core, simple palette, and dynamic form. Early in Bertoia’s career, he began exploring sculptural forms in miniature through jewelry design. He began making jewelry out of silver, copper or brass, and, occasionally, gold. While small in scale, these rare objects remain powerful sculptural statements of Bertoia’s interest in repeated lines and bold form.

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