Bonhams LA Offering 20th Century Jewelry Sale
“Wearable Art: Jewels from The Crawford Collection” has more than 300 pieces from Pablo Picasso, Art Smith, and more.

“Wearable Art: Jewels from The Crawford Collection” has more than 300 pieces from more than 30 distinguished artists. Byron and Jill Crawford collected the assortment over a lifetime, Bonhams said, with several pieces appearing in books and exhibitions over the years.
There are works from fine artists like Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, and Jean Arp; American Modernist masters such as Art Smith, Betty Cooke, and Sam Kramer; Scandinavian makers such as Georg Jensen, and Björn Weckström; Native American artists Charles Loloma and Jesse Monongya; and Taxco jewelry from William Spratling and Antonio Pineda.

Bonhams said the auction boasts one of the largest private collections to be offered at auction for Loloma, Smith, Cooke, Spratling, and Margaret De Patta.
Jill Crawford said, “It has been my great passion and pleasure to own and wear the jewelry in my collection. I have spent a lifetime searching for the greatest examples by artists I admire.”

“When I am wearing a great piece of jewelry, I feel connected to the artist, and I become part of the story a piece is telling. Jewelry is meant to be worn, and in the hands of a passionate collector it becomes transcendent.”

Pablo Picasso was known best for his painting, but also worked in ceramics, sculpture, and jewelry. His “Grand Fawn” in high-karat gold matches lithographs he made.
More than 20 pieces from Art Smith will be available. The Afro-Cuban immigrant was a champion of African American rights and gay rights, Bonhams noted. He believed jewelry should be accessible and crafted his pieces in brass or copper accordingly.
Museums like the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; The Newark Museum; The Metropolitan Museum of Art; and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum have collected Art Smith works. In 2008, the Brooklyn Museum of Art staged an exhibition in his honor: “From the Village to Vogue: The Modernist Jewelry of Art Smith.”
Active at the same time was William Spratling, considered to have helped put Taxco, Mexico on the map as a center for high-quality silver designs.

The Crawford Collection is the product of years of travel. Representing Scandinavia is Björn Weckström, known for his asymmetrical figurations and textured surfaces.

Native American artists are also represented with works from Charles Loloma and Jesse Monongya. Their pieces inject vivid color into the auction assortment through gems like lapis lazuli and turquoise.
Loloma’s work features in many important collections, including Frank Lloyd Wright’s. President Lyndon B. Johnson used Loloma’s jewelry as state gifts.

The Wearable Art: Jewels from the Crawford Collection auction will be held on Oct. 12. at Bonhams Los Angeles.
The Latest

Sponsored by the Gemological Institute of America

The 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.

The West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

This past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.


The brand’s “Golden Strada” statement necklace features round, marquise, and pear diamonds that sparkle like Fourth of July fireworks.

JSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Located on Rodeo Drive, the store’s design was inspired by Hollywood and Los Angeles culture.

The new location continues the brand’s celebration of its 25th anniversary.

The online watch marketplace’s “Time Is Our Thing” campaign highlights the importance of time.

She will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, industry partnerships, and the launch of the Gem Legacy Campus in Tanzania.

Working with Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and law enforcement, Pandora helped to shut down a large-scale counterfeit network in China.

The jewelry company has closed its three California brick-and-mortar stores, as well as its online shop, for now.

The company is providing the opportunity for an FIT student to work alongside master diamond cutter Willie Lopez in its workshop.

He is remembered for his successful entrepreneurship, generosity, and dedication to his family.

The jewelry store chain has reportedly been struggling with costs related to tariffs as well as tough retail competition.

Welcome warm summer days with red hot rubies perfectly chosen as July’s birthstone.

Co-founders Afzal Imram and Lin Ruiyin brought their son’s story of a cosmic egg, toadstool, and railroad to life in their new collection.

The best time to prepare for the holiday season is right now, according to columnist Emmanuel Raheb.

This year’s winner is Morgan Keefe, who is currently studying at GIA to be a gemologist.

“The Jewelry Book” comes out this September.

The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.

Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.