Pair of earrings
1860â1910
Classification
jewelry
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Dorothy Warren
Accession Number
2006-34-2-a,b
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This elegant pair of earrings, crafted the Tinsel Trading Company 1860 and 1910, offers a glimpse into American decorative arts during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Produced a specialized firm likely known for its use of shimmering tinsel—a metallic thread or foil popular in affordable luxury goods—these earrings exemplify the era's fascination with sparkle and ornamentation. Jewelry like this was a staple accessory for women, symbolizing social status and personal style amid rapid industrialization and growing consumer culture. Though the exact medium remains under study (research in pro...