Super RARE Peter Macchiarini Early "Pod" Sterling Silver - Matte Black Iron - Pearl Earrings Circa 1951 

Measurements: 1.9"L x .9"W x .75"Thick (4.83cm x 2.28cm x 1.91cm)

Markings: Sterling MACCHI

Weight: 18.5g

An exceptionally scarce pair of early Peter Macchiarini “Pod” earrings, dating to approximately 1951 and representing the wonderfully experimental period in which American studio jewelers were transforming jewelry into small-scale modernist sculpture.
Each earring is constructed around a broad circular sterling silver form whose surface has been worked with dense radiating incised lines, creating tremendous texture and movement. At the center is an irregular abstract opening of matte black iron, punctuated by a single luminous pearl. The contrast is extraordinary: cool sterling silver, velvety black metal and soft white pearl brought together in a composition that is simultaneously primitive, architectural and distinctly modern.
The design continues beyond the circular body with an articulated sterling element and small silver terminal below, giving the earrings an unexpected sense of movement when worn.
Macchiarini was both a sculptor and jeweler, and his jewelry frequently reflects that sculptural background. In his 1964 oral-history interview for the Smithsonian Archives of American Art, Macchiarini discussed his early interest in modern jewelry and the influence of Bauhaus design, László Moholy-Nagy and fellow modernist jeweler Margaret De Patta. American Alliance of Museums His jewelry is perhaps best understood not simply as ornament, but as miniature sculpture created for the body.
These earrings are especially compelling because they belong to Macchiarini’s early postwar period, when he was exploring combinations of silver and unconventional materials in increasingly abstract compositions. Scholarship on his work notes that his jewelry developed directly from his training and experience as a sculptor and stone carver and that he worked with materials including silver, nickel, glass, ebony, copper and other nontraditional elements. Smithsonian Research Online
The accompanying reference photograph shown in this listing illustrates Peter Macchiarini’s work from this important period and provides valuable visual context for his distinctive “Pod” vocabulary and use of contrasting materials.

Complimentary Luxury Gift Presentation

Every fine jewelry purchase from Trendy Modern Home arrives beautifully presented in an elegant jewelry gift box, thoughtfully selected to complement your piece.

Condition: The earrings are in exceptional vintage condition, especially considering their approximately 75-year age.
The sterling retains the wonderful hand-worked surface and character intended by the artist. The matte black iron elements remain intact, both pearls are present and secure, and the original screw-back mechanisms function properly.
They have received only a light, careful cleaning. No aggressive polishing has been performed, preserving the surface character, patina and integrity of the original construction.
Please examine all photographs closely, as they form an important part of the condition description.

Collector Significance: Original Peter Macchiarini jewelry is scarce on the secondary market, and early documented examples are particularly difficult to source. A surviving matched pair of circa-1951 earrings incorporating sterling silver, iron and pearl is an exceptional find for collectors of:
American Studio Jewelry
Mid-Century Modern Jewelry
California Modernism
Peter Macchiarini
Margaret De Patta-era Studio Jewelry
Modernist Sterling Silver Jewelry
Wearable Art

A remarkable opportunity to acquire an early example of American modernist jewelry by one of San Francisco’s significant 20th-century studio jewelers.