This Pablo Picasso 23-karat gold “Grande Faune” pendant was the top lot at Bonhams Los Angeles’ “Wearable Art: Jewels from the Crawford Collection” auction last week.
It also featured works from artists who considered jewelry the main vehicle for their artistry, like renowned Hopi Native American artist Charles Loloma.
The single-owner collection featured more than 300 pieces of jewelry from over 30 artists, all crafted in the 20th century and collected by Byron and Jill Crawford over a lifetime. Ninety-five percent of lots were sold to total more than $1.7 million.
The sale’s top lot was Pablo Picasso’s “Grand Faune” pendant (pictured at top), which fell within its pre-sale estimate range, garnering $62,813.
The auction’s unmistakable star, however, was Charles Loloma, with his pieces accounting for eight of the top 10 lots.
Charles Loloma (1921-1999) 14-karat gold, turquoise, coral, and lapis lazuli cuff circa 1975
According to Bonhams, Loloma’s top-selling piece, which was the second highest overall in the sale—a gold and multi-stone inlay cuff circa 1975 (above)—set a record for the artist’s work at auction when it sold for $56,563, within its pre-sale estimate.
The No. 3 top-selling lot was Loloma’s gold and turquoise ring, which trounced its $5,000-$7,000 estimate when it sold for $40,313.
“It was such a pleasure to work with a sale featuring more than 300 pieces of wearable sculpture representing a cross-section of important and beautiful 20th-century artist jewelry from more than 30 master makers,” said Bonhams Los Angeles Director of Jewels Emily Waterfall.
“This sale was an education in great studio jewelry rarely seen at auction from Betty Cooke and Margaret De Patta to William Spratling, Pablo Picasso, Charles Loloma, and many more. With the excitement and success of the sale, and the new auction records established, we have opened up an important new area for Bonhams.”
Gold and multi-stone “Night Sky” cuff, Jesse Monongya
Bonhams noted an auction record was set for a Jesse Monongya work, with the artist’s gold and multi-stone “Night Sky” cuff (above) earning $21,562, well above its high-end $15,000 estimate.
Likewise, an auction record was set for William Spratling jewelry for the silver and amethyst “Jaguar” necklace and brooch, which went for $15,300.
A gold convertible necklace from Baltimore artist Betty Cooke, who currently has a retrospective at The Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore, sold for $9,562, though its high-end estimate was only $5,000.
