Mastery of Design: The John Paul Cooper Pendant, 1906

Pendant
John Paul Cooper
1906
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Jeweler John Paul Cooper (1869-1933) was awarded high honors at the 1906 Arts and Crafts Exhibition, when the Studio magazine singled out his jewelry for its “sculptural qualities” and for its originality during an exhibition in which other exhibitors' work appeared rather formulaic.

Bold colors and cabochon-cut stones are typical features of Arts and Crafts jewelry, and Cooper uses these brilliantly along with the favored bezels and silver settings. Cooper's work relied on spiritual and symbolic subjects as the jeweler was long-fascinated by the magical and spiritual associations of precious metals and stones.

This is one of the pieces which Cooper displayed in 1906.  The pendant consists of a Madonna and Child within a jeweled niche which hangs within a rounded wire frame which is decorated with stars. A further small circular pendant and drop hang below this central portion,  as above a dove descends between the two chains that connect the suspension loop.  The hand-worked silver and gold is set with rubies, aquamarines, sapphires, opals and chrysoprases.

Cooper made this in his Birmingham, England workshop for the 1906 Exhibition.