ROLLING STONES

 

Circa 1920s deco dress clip. Photo in Gustav Manz archive, Winterthur Library, Joseph Downs Collection

"Kissing your hand may make you feel 
very very good, but a diamond and 
safire (sic) bracelet lasts forever." 

—Anita Loos

A diamond clip with Greek Key motif identical to the one shown above appears in a circa 1932 sales catalog for liquidation of jewels formerly owned by the elder son of Thomas Kirkpatrick, founder of the old New York firm T. Kirkpatrick & Co. Two hundred and ten round and 18 baguette stones radiate from a pair of stylized banded fleur de lys where the two halves meet (raising the total by an additional 2 baguettes and 12 rounds). The maker, Gustav Manz, was a long-time supplier to Kirkpatrick, and other Gilded-to-Deco era retailers.

Greek key ring mounting designed by Gustav Manz 

circa 1905-1920

Manz's father-in-law and business partner Charles (Carl) Bachem was a manufacturing jeweler who'd emigrated from Pforzheim to open a diamond ring factory in Newark in 1892. For "convenience of the trade," Bachem distributed his cluster heads through Maiden Lane diamond setters John C. Nordt and Gottfried Heppdin. (To this day, descendants of Nordt fabricate ring blanks for the trade.) 

"Superior to Anything Ever Shown" 
(Jewelers' Circular, February 1897)

Shortly after moving the factory to Maiden Lane in 1899, Bachem retired for health reasons, turning the reins over to his son-in-law and his own wife, Sophie, who soon after reincorporated as Manz & Co. The pair were soon joined by Walter P. McTeigue (another manufacturing jeweler who'd recently split from his partner), producing "fine diamond and carved jewelry" that was carried by premier merchants in Philadelphia, Palm Beach, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., as well as elite retailers along Ladies' Mile. Six years later, Manz split off from McTeigue to set up on his own account. 

1920s diamond ring, marked Gillot & Co, engraved with stylized fleur de lys along shank and laurel leaves on prongs. Paul Gillot—a former design associate with Marcus &amp—frequently purchased mountings from Manz's studio

 (Photo courtesy Erie Basin)

By 1925, the same year Harper's Bazaar serialized Anita Loos' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Manz had moved his business to its final location in Manhattan's new jewelry district above 42nd Street, a convenience for his best clients—Tiffany, Black Starr & Frost, Marcus, Kirkpatrick, and Pickslay & Co—who'd followed their affluent customers from lower to upper Fifth Avenue in much the same spirit as Loos' practical-minded heroine Lorelei Lee.

"Any girl who was a lady would not even think 

of having such a good time that she did 

not remember to hang on to her jewelry." 

—Anita Loos

                    Copyright ©  2014 | All Rights Reserved 
                                             GUSTAV MANZ LLC

LOOK BOOK: HOW TO SPOT JEWELRY BY GUSTAV MANZ

ASJH NEWSLETTER, SUMMER 2011

On April 7, 2011, The American Society of Jewelry Historians invited Courtney Bowers-Marhev to speak to members about the jewelry of Gustav Manz, whose work she first encountered as a graduate student in Parsons-Cooper Hewitt's Masters Program in the History of Decorative Arts. Estate jewelry expert Diana Singer subsequently provided highlights from Bowers-Marhev's slideshow in the ASJH summer newsletter, along with some tips for Manz spotting:

"....It is important to note that, in those days—unlike today, where the designer/manufacturer often aggressively courts and markets directly to the consumer—it was unthinkable for the skilled wholesaler to directly approach the retail client unless specifically invited to do so. Prominent retail stores such as those previously named often sold pieces made by Gustav Manz, and marked them as their own works. Only someone familiar with his inimitable style would have any idea he was the genius responsible for the jewel, and not the retail establishment. What, then, are the characteristics of Gustav Manz's style, and how does the trained eye recognize it? The roots of Manz's style lay firmly in the Art Nouveau movement, replete with animal motifs, valutes, foliate motifs, and often Gothic or eastern motifs. All were highly detailed and sculptured, often steeped in the sensualism reminiscent of Auguste Rodin's sculptures. Animals and the figures pulse with volume and life, as if springing out from the jewel. A favorite subject used in many instances was that of the panther, a motif that became well-known in the hands of Cartier's Jeanne Toussaint. Animal pins were a major part of his design sensibility; the claws found on the dragons, panthers, and lions are highly articulated and full of strength. Spectacularly ornate and rendered wings adorn the birds of prey, dragons, and peacocks. Plant life, including leaves, branches, lily pads, and lotuses all have deeply modeled and etched surfaces. Charming dog pins and stickpins were a part of the entourage as well, with the finely chased surfaces often set with tiny diamonds. In addition, Egyptian motifs figured prominently in his designs, many of which were retailed by Tiffany & Co. in the 1920s. Eastern motifs were explored in the 1920s as well, some of which included dragons, pagodas, and serene Buddhas..." 

Images from Bowers-Marhev's slideshow and private collections:

Manz stockbook entry for a panther and snake ring with a star sapphire, sold to Moore & Mason in May, 1925 (Winterthur); Manz's panther and snake designs were exhibited at the St. Louis World's Fair and the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Eighth Annual Industrial Art show 

Photo (c) Gustav Manz LLC

A panther and snake ring, circa 1910. Unsigned, attributed to Gustav Manz; Manz's design book also features tigers and lions in crouching poses or emerging from fronds of savannah grass

Image courtesy Skinner Inc. 

Gustav Manz costbook sketch for a "Gold Star Sapphire Sphinx Ring" 
sold to Marcus & Company, in June 1916. 

A variation on the Egyptian-inspired jewelry Manz created for the St. Louis Exposition in 1904 (below), his sphinx and pyramid mounting attracted orders from T. Kirkpatrick, Brand Chatillon, Bailey Banks & Biddle and others

Winterthur Library

Manz stockbook record for "fancy sapps + gold grape broche" sold to Tiffany & Company, November 1922 

Manz stockbook, Winterthur Library

Gold grapevine cuff set with colored stones by Gustav Manz

 for Tiffany & Company

 Private collection

Buddha ring settings by Gustav Manz, c 1923 

Sold to Tiffany & Co. and Shreve, 

Crump & Low

Manz stockbook, Winterthur Library

Jade, enamel, and ruby Buddha earring, ca 1920s

Designed and manufactured by Gustav Manz 
Private collection 

Photo (c) Gustav Manz LLC

_________________________________________

Copyright ©  2014 
All Rights Reserved 

 GUSTAV MANZ LLC

__________________________________________

For details on upcoming ASJH events, contact Meg Selig at info@jewelryhistorians.org