Alphonse La Paglia| Fellows Blog

Early twentieth century silver jewelry has undergone a resurgence prior to now few years, specifically the works of Georg Jensen and his designers. Right here we check out the life and work of one in every of these designers – Alphonse La Paglia.

Alphonse La Paglia (1907-1953) was an Italian-born silversmith, who studied in Denmark, underneath the watchful eye of Georg Jensen. 

Georg Jensen (1866-1935) was a Danish silversmith, who started his coaching on the age of simply fourteen. He initially studied sculpture and ceramics and made his first piece of jewelry – a silver and silver gilt belt buckle – in 1899.

In 1901, Jensen determined that the lifetime of a silversmith was for him and commenced his designing and silversmithing profession. His designs caught the attention of the general public and the enterprise expanded from the Copenhagen base to retail institutions from Europe to New York.

Particulars of La Paglia’s formative years should not well-documented, so we are able to solely speculate about what drove him to take up the humanities. 

Immigrating to America within the 1940’s, he started to design and produce jewelry for a agency named Frederick Lunning – who operated underneath the title of Georg Jensen USA. 

Alphonse later went on to work for the Worldwide Silver Firm, transferring his workplaces to Meriden, Connecticut, the place he produced not simply jewelry, but additionally ornamental home goods, comparable to candlesticks, trays, jugs and even desk lighters.  

Foliate designs, set towards curled motifs, function closely in La Paglia’s physique of labor and are exemplified by the 2 examples featured in our three-day Jewelry & Costume Jewelry public sale.  We’ve not seen items like this for a few years at Fellows, so it’s a delight to see two of them without delay!

Alphonse La Paglia at Public sale

Lot 1459

Foliate bracelet, by La Paglia

Worth Realised: £266.50

Viewing occasions (ID required):

Birmingham

Tuesday twentieth August 10:00-16:00

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Helen Foster | Junior cataloguer, Jewelry division