Watercross brooch thumbnail 1
Watercross brooch thumbnail 2
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images
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Watercross brooch

Brooch
1993 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Warwick Freeman is best known for his strong, simple forms carved out of materials native to New Zealand. He writes: ‘Watercross is made from baler shell, a shell so huge that – as its name suggests – it was used for baling seawater out of boats. This shell is a voyager, a true child of the southern seas. It once sheltered an enormous mollusc, but in another life has carried fresh water on land.’

The shape is derived from the spaces left between diagonal lines which are joined at each intersection with a four-pointed star. This pattern of diagonal lines and stars is sometimes used in ironwork railings and was seen against water by Warwick Freeman on a bridge crossing a harbour – hence the name ‘Watercross’.

This brooch is one of forty-five pieces of jewellery given to the V&A from the collection of the late Louise Klapisch.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleWatercross brooch (series title)
Materials and techniques
Shell and oxidised silver
Brief description
Brooch of shell and silver designed and made by Warwick Freeman, New Zealand, 1993
Physical description
A curving section cut from a large shell, cream with striations and brown blotches, carved in the shape of a Maltese cross. It is mounted on a blackened silver square, set on its side and held by four long claws.
Dimensions
  • Height: 50mm
  • Width: 50mm
Marks and inscriptions
W.F (stamped on the silver mount)
Credit line
The Louise Klapisch Collection, given by Suzanne Selvi
Object history
A brooch from the same series is illustrated in Owner's Manual: Jewellery by Warwick Freeman; Photography by Patrick Reynolds; Text by Julie Ewington (Auckland 1995)
Production
from a series of 14
Summary
Warwick Freeman is best known for his strong, simple forms carved out of materials native to New Zealand. He writes: ‘Watercross is made from baler shell, a shell so huge that – as its name suggests – it was used for baling seawater out of boats. This shell is a voyager, a true child of the southern seas. It once sheltered an enormous mollusc, but in another life has carried fresh water on land.’

The shape is derived from the spaces left between diagonal lines which are joined at each intersection with a four-pointed star. This pattern of diagonal lines and stars is sometimes used in ironwork railings and was seen against water by Warwick Freeman on a bridge crossing a harbour – hence the name ‘Watercross’.

This brooch is one of forty-five pieces of jewellery given to the V&A from the collection of the late Louise Klapisch.
Collection
Accession number
M.30-2014

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Record createdJune 11, 2014
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