![]() Over the 1930s the Haskell business was expanded until it occupied multiple shops and had headquarters on the famed Fifth Avenue. Frank was with the company for decades and helped to develop the Haskell signature style. Although she was very involved in the day to day operations of her business, one of her most crucial decisions was to have hired a jewellery designer, former Macy’s window dresser, Frank Hess. It isn’t known if Miriam herself ever designed any of the pieces sold by the Haskell company. The scrupulous attention to detail and beauty of the jewellery quickly won fans among Hollywood stars and the most stylish ladies of the era. Her eponymous jewellery line swiftly gained recognition for its handmade, top-quality pieces. ![]() ![]() Haskell was a very private lady and not a lot of information is known about her personal life, however she was recognized as an elegantly dressed lady with style and a keen business sense. Miriam began her fashion career in New York city working as a milliner but pivoted to jewellery in 1926 when she opened her first shop, named Le Bijou de l'Heure. The intricate designs coupled with their novel colours and materials have made Haskell jewellery hugely coveted by collectors, with the most elaborate pieces fetching many hundreds of pounds. His wish is for the owner to create a bond with these pieces and reflect their own spirit into the artwork.Miriam Haskell jewellery is some of the most prized and beautiful costume jewellery from the 20th century. Inspired by these Native American myths and legends, Michael's goal is to incorporate them into a body of work that maintains a universal feel - one that all people can relate to. He sets inlaid bear designs in a myriad of all shapes, colors, and sizes among medicine wheels (circle of life), bear tracks (marks of where one has been), and symbols sacred to the Black Hills of South Dakota. In his Mato Oyate jewelry design, Michael celebrates the Family of Bear. It was believed this union created a powerful bond between man and bear and also illustrated the Bear as a symbol of family. One popular Native American story tells of a bear who took an Indian chief's daughter as his wife when the couple later gave birth to twin bear cubs, she became known as Bear Mother. The Bear also represents motherhood, as the bear is known for their aggressive nature when protecting cubs. According to legend, if a native hunter killed a bear, he and his tribe would welcome the bear as if it were a guest before harvesting the meat and using the hide for clothing and bones for tools. Many ancient Native American tribes have great respect for the bear. Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing and always come back again to where they were."Īs he incorporates images of the sun, a morning star, rain clouds and lighting, as well as symbolic animal imagery into this jewelry piece, Michael uses integral elements of the Lakota Sioux universe (and the natural world) to illustrate this continuous life cycle. The moon does the same and both are round. The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle. Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours. The sky is round and I have heard that the Earth is round like a ball and so are all the stars. "Everything the power of the world does is done in a circle. In his depiction of this romantic tale, Michael has captured the true essence of this Lakota love story through his use of powerful symbolism, exquisite design, and ethereal composition - feminine and masculine forms are intertwined with symbols of love, new beginnings, and family.Īt the heart of Lakota Indian philosophy is the belief that all elements of life move in a never-ending cycle of birth, death and rebirth. As the young man played, he was able to tell her more clearly than his words ever could that he loved her… The romantic tale of the first love flute tells of the sweet song a brave, but very shy young warrior once composed for the girl he loved. He uses his work as a vessel for not only transforming ancient stories and spiritual beliefs into captivating jewelry pieces, but he also gives them the power to transform their meanings based on the experience of the wearer. Native American artist Michael Haskell explores the contrast between the refined, polished nature of sterling silver and the earthy, natural hues of malachite, pipestone, turquoise and ammonite. ![]()
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