ArtSmith 1940s Geometric Gaps Silver Copper Brass Modern Sculptural Wire Cuff

American Art Smith hand-crafted this modern asymmetrical cuff from roughly finished semi-precious layered metals in his early signature style including sculptural wires and gaps. On the top of the bracelet that displays Smith's dynamic artistry, thick brass square-shaped wires unevenly separate into curves to create voids for revealing skin when worn on the wrist. To both minimally decorate the cuff with geometric shapes and solidify its structure, Smith spanned only one side of the gap with four angular-cut pieces from sheets of sterling silver, copper and brass, which are evenly spaced with narrow gaps. As the rod-like framework of the rest of the cuff, the brass wire was folded/joined at the ends with minute silver soldering only visible on the interior.

A testament to Smith's craftsmanship, the contrasting cut metals are soldered precisely to the top outer edges of each sinuous wire instead of wrapped around, which enables the bottom edges of the wires to make smooth contact with the skin and to be easier to flex for pulling on and off. Additionally, Smith finished, lacquered, buffed and polished the exterior bracelet to protect the patinated metallic colors from tarnishing.

On the unfinished interior, this cuff may have been signed by Art Smith with a stylized initial A and/or his name in cursive given some apparently linked dark marks in two different areas of the brass wire (see closeups), which may otherwise indicate good condition consistent with age and scratching from wear.

In light of similarly constructed curvilinear designs by Smith in the 1940s, the cuff seems to have been created while he was making the transition while living in Manhattan's Greenwich Village from being mentored full-time by fellow Black jewelry designer Winifred Mason to metalsmithing as an independent artist and businessman. In 1946, he opened his own retail studio competitively nearby hers. Some of Smith's commissions in the 1940s did not include his signature, such as those made with more costly sterling silver (like this cuff) that was not a metal used by Mason who focused on copper and/or brass jewelry.

Such early studio-jewelry works by Smith, whose designs were influenced by Surrealism and Primitivism since his studies at NYC's Cooper Union, are sometimes mistaken for African-art inspired originals by fellow American Alexander Calder. Jewelry by both artists are increasingly collected by leading museums, such as Smith's similar "Lava Bracelet" c.1946 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Brooklyn Museum, while continuing to set auction records annually.

Notably regarding early works by Smith, in May 2021, his undulating brass 13-inch collar necklace c.1950 realized $23,400 from the low estimate of $3,000. Solidifying the value of this dramatic increase, a year later, his wire-constructed "modern brass and copper cuff bracelet" c.1950 sold for $22,500 from the high estimate of $8,000 in June 2022.

As many contributions to jewelry and art history by Black and/or queer artists, such as Cuban-born Smith (1917-1982), have yet to be recognized, we encourage the buyer of this cuff to seek authentication from his American estate experts.

All sales are final due to the nature of this piece and the realized evaluation. Please ask any questions necessary.