Featured MMA Bracelet

BTW I am totally clueless how that necklace could be described as Egyptian Revival...

 

WorthPoint also has one in gold plated. An eBay sale in 2017. I don't currently subscribe, so can't see the price, but one of their photos includes the MMA store box. Maybe the box design will help with dating:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/metropolitan-museum-art-mma-gold-1884105832

https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/...a-gold_1_8c2115fea63b9701cf92366e9dced005.jpg

 

I think all their repros are very well made and they do some in gold and sterling that are very pricey. I always look when I’m there but I’ve never bought as I don’t do repros.

 

I think most of us are.

 

Maybe this has already been considered, but the ring and hook closure could have been added by the Met, and not part of an original design. Also, the whole bracelet could have been "in the style of" a certain design, rather than replicating a particular piece.

Here is an example of a different bracelet -- one of their current offerings that might or might not be a replica of a real one with added ring and hook closure. They call the bracelet under the link "Hellenistic," and make reference in the text to a parure in their collection. However, reading the text they provide it doesn't appear that this bracelet is meant to replicate a piece in the parure. It just sounds like it was meant to evoke the same feeling as the parure does. (And they don't include a picture of the parure, which included a necklace and set of earrings.)
https://store.metmuseum.org/hellenistic-gilded-mesh-bracelet-80045219

Who knows?

 

I’m really curious as in my NY days (70s and 80s) they reproduced actual pieces but that appears to no longer be true.

 

I think they probably still reproduce actual pieces. I have never visited there -- would love to, though. They send me their print catalogs once in a while, since I often order holiday cards and sometimes books from them. And I've noticed reproductions of actual pieces before. My post was just to point out that there are times their pieces are not reproductions, but more "in the style of."

 

I think this is true that artistic licence is used and practicality considered when replicating museum pieces.
I had a very polite reply from the museum saying they had too many items to be able to identify which is fair enough. Was worth a try though. I wonder if it’s based on Heishi but used artistic licence to allow them to use silver?

 

Definitely. The blurb for the "Hellenistic" piece you linked to is a good example -- the bracelet "celebrates [...] ancient originals".

I haven't been able to find anything very similar in the museum's online catalogue, so it might be "celebrating" something from a special exhibition rather than the permanent collection. That's why I thought it might help to try and date the box.

I hope it's acceptable to post this cropped image, with due copyright acknowledgement to the museum and WP:



Can anyone put an age on the box?

Certainly before the Met's current red and white "brand identity":
https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/now-at-the-met/2016/brand-identity

Plan your visit, take at least twice the time you think you'll need -- and then add another day! We've only been once and were completely overwhelmed.

Their website is also amazingly deep. Need distracting? Then take a peek down this little rabbit hole:

https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2018/jewelry

It certainly was -- and great to get an answer so quickly, even if it wasn't what you'd hoped to hear.

 

It’s on my bucket list to visit but current circumstances mean it will probably never happen . I will have a good look at their website. That box certainly isn’t modern, I will do some investigation!.
Thankyou for the time you have spent on this Hamburger

 

This donkey has exactly the same box. Stamped Sterling on the reverse if that dates it rather than 925. That is if it’s in its original box .


This has a similar box and 1976

 

The one on worthpoint sold for $36.95.

 

Thankyou @drg642

 

I probably did not buy any jewellery from the Met's shop before the late 70s & haven't bought anything in the last few years. In between, the only box I've seen is the gold one.

Some items that are perennial best sellers stay in inventory year after year, but new lines are introduced every year while others are discontinued after a few years.

Most jewellery, with some exceptions, is not designed in exact imitation of either actual jewels in the collection or depictions of gems in painting & sculpture. They will take a detail like the watch chain or a section of embroidery in a painting & use it as inspiration for design. Sometimes they collaborate with another museum to produce an item based on something in the collection of the other institution.

The bracelet in question does not look like any of their Egyptian-themed jewellery.

 

I do have one of the gold-tinted boxes. It came with something I purchased through their catalog early in this century... about 15-20 years ago.