L'ECOLE, SCHOOL OF JEWELRY ARTS presented by VAN CLEEF & ARPLES

 Daniel Brush's Cuffs and Necks, Private Collection: Through the Eyes of a Collector and more at L'Ecole, School of Jewelry Arts

Winter weather has arrived. Halloween is on the horizon...and school is in session at Van Cleef and Arple's L'Ecole, School of Jewelry Arts. Nested in luxury on the Upper East Side, Van Cleef transforms Academy Mansion, hosting a series workshops, classes, panels and exhibits from October 25th to November 9th. Gemologists, jewelry enthusiasts and the general public alike have equal opportunity to catch a rare glimpse of Daniel Brush's "Cuffs and Necks," 20 replicas of extravagant diamonds owed by Louis XIV and 40 items from the private collection of a New York based collector. Keep reading to have a look inside...

 Rarely seen pieces from Daniel Brush's Cuffs and Necks collection are on view

Quite the jack of all trades, American artist Daniel Brush is goldsmith, painter, sculptor, philosopher, engineer and emulator of emotive beauty, through his works. Distinctively intricate and technically challenging, Brush's pieces relay a timeless embodiment of skillful perfection. Of the masterpieces on display--a gold topped box with 78,000 individually placed gold granules catches the eye. The piece is inspired by a visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum when he was 13.

Daniel Brush's Ten Butterfly Box (1991-1993) made of pure gold, steel, rare earth magnets

Alongside Brush's engraved and sculptural works is a room dedicated to his "Cuffs and Necks."A studio visit by a friend in search of an antique dog collar necklace inspired Brush's 4 year endeavor, culminating in a book and an entire collections of chokers modeled on a singular neck. The entire collection of 117 chokers ("Necks") and 72 bangles ("Cuffs") are displayed in impeccable museum-quality cases--and shown for the first time in New York City. As photography is limited, view the exhibition catalogue here.

117 Neckpieces were created for one woman; each were made and photographed over the course of 4 years (photo by Wesley Stringer / source)

In contrast, a second space--dim and filled with spot-lit jewels--showcases exquisite treasures from a private American collector, amassed over a quarter century. Featuring mainly antique Art Deco fine jewelry (Van Cleef, Cartier, Boucheron, Belperron, Lacloche Frères, etc.), the impressive assemblage of chosen items echoes personal significance. Of his bounty, the collector reflects, "Although collectors are just temporary caretakers for objects that will eventually pass to others, the experiences, great friendships and intellectual stimulation that collecting has brought to me will last a lifetime" (brochure). 

 Lobby of L'Ecole

Visit L'Ecole at 2 63rd St. before November 9th to see the exhibits. A full roster of courses, talks and public programming is available here. This truly impressive display (and venue) is worth seeing!

Academy Mansion, temporarily transforms into L'Ecole, School of Jewelry Arts