Transferring precious jewels is a nerve-racking, high-stakes game. Luckily for David Webb, all they had to do was cross the street.
The Manhattan-based heritage brand located at 942 Madison Avenue has announced it’s partnering with Sotheby’s, which last fall moved a stone’s throw away into the Breuer Building. From July 1 to Aug. 16, a curated selection of current and archival Webb pieces will go on sale as part of the auction house’s summerlong exhibition series honoring the semiquincentennial, “250 Years of American Art & Culture.”
The Delacourte necklace.
Courtesy of David Webb
“As neighbors on Madison Avenue, we are proud to partner on this exhibition, which celebrates the enduring legacy of American design,” said Tara Rowghani, co-owner of David Webb. “With our jewelry continuing to be handcrafted in New York, this collaboration feels particularly meaningful and reflects the city’s unique role as a global center of creativity, culture and entrepreneurship.”
Besides their shared street, Rowghani pointed out David Webb and Sotheby’s also share a long-standing dedication to exceptional craftsmanship and discerning collectors.
The Cross River ring.
Courtesy of David Webb
Among the catalogue highlights is the Delacorte Suite from the late 1950s. Featuring aquamarines and diamonds in a wreath-like yellow-gold setting, it’s an exceptionally rare pairing for the time period. Sure to attract the most attention, however, are the emerald Cross River ring with a delicate lattice wire motif, which has never been photographed before, and the coral Couture choker with white enamel links, which has never been seen before publicly.
Levi Higgs, head of the David Webb archives, said each lot selected for the Sotheby’s sale was chosen for its summery color palette and bold design, “both highly demonstrable characteristics of David Webb jewelry.”
“Being able to present these pieces in their proper context, essentially in a museum setting across the street from where they were made, is really special and ties together the whole theme of America’s best and brightest, right on one block,” he added.
The Anchor brooch.
Courtesy of David Webb
For Frank Everett, Sotheby’s vice chairman of jewelry and self-proclaimed David Webb “superfan,” the exhibition is a full-circle moment given his first assignment upon being hired was to write a catalogue note for a Webb jewel about to hit the auction block.
According to Everett, Webb’s famed zebra bracelets are “always a point of fascination” for Sotheby’s buyers, although his personal favorite item in this edit is the Anchor brooch, composed of faceted sapphires and emeralds and cabochon rubies. “There’s something incredibly compelling about the way Webb transforms a humble, utilitarian form, into an object of such exuberance.”
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