Ring
1969 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Gerda Flöckinger is one of the pre-eminent artists in the alternative jewellery scene in London. Born in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1927, she emigrated to Britain in 1938. She studied fine art at St Martin's School of Art, and jewellery and enamels at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London. On leaving in 1956, she took the then highly unusual decision to work as an independent designer and maker. In 1962 she established a pioneering course in experimental jewellery at Hornsey School of Art. Many of the next generation of British artist-jewellers were taught there.
In this ring, the flat polished surfaces of Gerda Flöckinger’s early work have made way for encrusted, organic textures. These have come to typify her work. At this date, large, unusual stones - cameos, soft-coloured cabochons, veined turquoises and irregular pearls - were incorporated to give glowing pools of colour amidst the swirling metal.
In this ring, the flat polished surfaces of Gerda Flöckinger’s early work have made way for encrusted, organic textures. These have come to typify her work. At this date, large, unusual stones - cameos, soft-coloured cabochons, veined turquoises and irregular pearls - were incorporated to give glowing pools of colour amidst the swirling metal.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Oxidised silver and gold, set with a carved citrine, a tourmaline and an opal |
| Brief description | Oxidised silver and gold set with a carved citrine, a tourmaline and an opal, designed and made by Gerda Flöckinger in 1969. |
| Physical description | The body of the ring is pierced and deliberately darkened in places by oxidation and decorated with irregular scrolls, wires and small balls. It is set with a large, pale citrine carved with a flower design and a smaller pink tourmaline. Attached to the ring, below the tourmaline, is a circular gold disc with a small opal set in it, from the disc hangs a 'tail'- a stem of silver decorated with a spiral of gold wire. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Purchased from the artist from the exhibition of her work held at the V&A in 1971. A collection of jewellery designs and sketches (from E.53-19780 were donated by the artist in 1978. |
| Historical context | The flat polished surfaces of Gerda Flöckinger's early work have made way for the encrusted, organic textures that have come to typify her work. At this date, large, unusual stones- cameos, soft-coloured cabochons, veined turquoises and irregular pearls were incorporated to give glowing pools of colour amidst the swirling metal. |
| Summary | Gerda Flöckinger is one of the pre-eminent artists in the alternative jewellery scene in London. Born in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1927, she emigrated to Britain in 1938. She studied fine art at St Martin's School of Art, and jewellery and enamels at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London. On leaving in 1956, she took the then highly unusual decision to work as an independent designer and maker. In 1962 she established a pioneering course in experimental jewellery at Hornsey School of Art. Many of the next generation of British artist-jewellers were taught there. In this ring, the flat polished surfaces of Gerda Flöckinger’s early work have made way for encrusted, organic textures. These have come to typify her work. At this date, large, unusual stones - cameos, soft-coloured cabochons, veined turquoises and irregular pearls - were incorporated to give glowing pools of colour amidst the swirling metal. |
| Bibliographic reference | Clare Phillips, Jewels and Jewellery, V&A Publications 2000.
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.118-1971 |
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| Record created | February 13, 2003 |
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