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Catalog Data

Designed by:
Winifred Mason Chenet, American, 1912 - 1993  Search this
Medium:
copper and brass
Dimensions:
H x W x D: 1 3/4 × 2 3/4 × 1 3/4 in. (4.4 × 7 × 4.4 cm)
Type:
jewelry
Place made:
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Cultural Place:
Haiti, Caribbean, Latin America, North and Central America
Date:
ca. 1945
Caption:
This bracelet was made around 1945, the same year Winifred Mason Chenet spent five months in Haiti studying the island's art and culture. Chenet had been awarded a Rosenwald Fellowship grant, "to gather folk material and basic art patterns used by West Indians and to express these feelings in jewelry." The design of this bracelet, with the thin strands of copper wrapped around copper pegs in a criss-crossign diamond pattern, may have been inspired by the peg drums Chenet saw in Haiti.
Description:
A copper and brass bracelet made by Winifred Mason Chenet.
The bracelet is made of a curved band of copper with an opening of approximately two inches so that it can be placed on the wrist. The bracelet has two thin brass bands set on top of the copper, running horizontally through the center of the bracelet, breaking the copper up into three (3) section. There are six (6) raised copper dots across the top 1/3 of the bracelet and six (6) across the bottom 1/3 of the bracelet. Two (2) raised copper wires wrap around the raised copper dots, connecting top to bottom in a diamond pattern.
The bracelet has some scuffs, scratches, and areas of discoloration. On the underside of the bracelet there are more scratches and areas of discoloration. The backs of the raised copper dots can be seen. At the back center is a double imprint of [chenet].
Topic:
African American  Search this
Art  Search this
Craftsmanship  Search this
Design  Search this
Fashion  Search this
Ornamentation  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number:
2016.173.3
Restrictions & Rights:
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification:
Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
Jewelry and Adornment
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd50c1a99f6-481e-4b49-94ef-c6cf3605fb4a
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2016.173.3