ASJRA’s May Conference Examines ‘Iconic’ Jewelry Companies
Jewelry historians, authors, and experts will explore the works of Tiffany & Co., Oscar Heyman, Verdura, and more.

Held virtually from May 6-7, the sessions will center around the theme of “Iconic Jewelry Firms,” delving into the likes of Tiffany & Co., Oscar Heyman and Verdura.
The speakers and sessions are as follows.
On May 6, Beth Wees, curator emerita of The American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, alongside jewelry specialist Sheila Smithie, FGA, will host the first session of the day, “Marcus & Co.: Three Generations of New York Jewelers.”
The American jeweler was a mainstay in New York City from 1892 to 1962.
Reema Keswani, founder of Golconda Jewelry and former president of the American Society of Jewelry Historians, will present “The Jewelry Designs of Shinde.”
Ambaji Venkatesh Shinde was a well-known jewelry designer, notable for his work at Harry Winston.
Jewelry expert Elizabeth Bray will speak on “The Jewelry of Paul Flato,” highlighting the American jeweler’s work. Bray is the author of “Jeweler to the Stars: The Jewelry of Paul Flato,” published by ACC Art Books in 2010.
Costume jewelry historian Barbara Schwartz will lead a session called “Coro and Louis Rousselet: Two Costume Jewelry Makers You Need to Know More About.”
A virtual cocktail party will be held at 6 p.m. Eastern to celebrate the conference.
Day two will kick off with writer Beth Hamilton presenting “Oscar Heyman, The Jeweler’s Jeweler.” She was a contributing author of the book with the same title.
Fashion and jewelry historian Ariana Bishop will give a presentation titled “ Verdura. America’s Crown Jeweler.”
Laura Mathews, great-granddaughter of 20th-century jeweler and sculptor Gustav Manz, will present a session on his work, titled “Lost & Found: The Jewelry of Gustav Manz.”
Jewelry historian Anna Rasche will host “The Drecier Company,” a prominent New York jeweler during the Gilded Age.
Jewelry expert and author Elyse Zorn Karlin will present “The Art Jewelry of Louis Comfort Tiffany.” Karlin is co-director of the event alongside Yvonne J. Markowitz.
The attendance fee is $155. ASJRA members will receive a 10 percent discount.
There is also early-bird pricing available for those who register before March 30.
For those interested in the conference but unable to attend live, a recording will be available for three weeks after the conference.
For more information or to register, visit the ASJRA website.
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