Face mask, gold and diamonds, Peter Page, 1972

Face mask consisting of a fine gold wire lattice, set with diamonds

Given by Peter Page

The face mask was made for and worn at the launch of Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell's new collection 'Quorum' in November 1972, an event for which David Hockney designed the invitations and programme folders, and Manolo Blahnik designed the shoes. As Suzy Menkes wrote in the Evening Standard (November 20, 1972) 'For the first time since he left the Royal College of Art nearly 10 years ago, Ossie Clark is showing on his own. At 8 p.m. tonight he launches his much-heralded and long-awaited new collection for Quorum'. The models included Bianca Jagger and Pattie Boyd (wives of Mick Jagger and George Harrison respectively). The mask was originally intended to be worn with a dark, printed suit by Bianca jagger but according to Peter Page she found it too tight, and instead it was worn by Carina Howard with a suit made from a cream version of the same fabric.

According to Peter Page he had been proposed for the commission by Elizabeth Naydler of the Ashgate Gallery in Farnham, whose husband Merton Naydler was Ossie Clark's accountant. The piece was made just after his move to Ramsbury, Wiltshire.

The face mask was made by jeweller Peter Page for the launch of Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell's collection 'Quorum' in November 1972, an event for which David Hockney designed the invitations and programme folders, and Manolo Blanik designed the shoes. The models included Bianca Jagger and Pattie Boyd (wives of Mick Jagger and George Harrison respectively). According to Peter Page the mask was originally intended to be modelled with a dark, printed suit by Bianca jagger but was instead worn by Carina Howard with a suit made from a cream version of the same fabric.

This innovative piece from the early 1970s combines the drama and glamour of catwalk jewellery with a more challenging view of jewellery as body sculpture.

M.33-2009