stick pin
ca. 1867
Classification
jewelry
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift from the Thomas W. Evans Collection from University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
Accession Number
1983-69-9
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This elegant stick pin, dating to around 1867, exemplifies-19th-century American jewelry craftsmanship. As a fashionable accessory for gentlemen's attire—often securing cravats or ascots—stick pins were both functional and decorative, reflecting the Victorian era's love ornate personal adornments. Though the artist and exact medium remain unidentified amid ongoing research, its presence in the Smithsonian American Museum highlights its place in everyday luxury during the post-Civil War years. The piece hails from the renowned Thomas W. Evans Collection amassed by the American dentist served E...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...