Designer: Ingeborg Bookstaber (1922 - 1993)

Item: Modernist silver wire cloisonné enamel plaque of shepherd

Manufactured by: Ingeborg Bookstaber

Country of origin: United States

Year made: 1960s

Materials: Silver wire cloisonné enamel plaque mounted on walnut block

Dimensions: Overall 7 ½” x 4 ¼” x 3 ¾” plaque is 6 ¼” x 3 ¼”

Description:  Here is an amazing modernist cloisonné work by a newly discovered master of the technique.  This works dates to the 1960s and was created in the Rockland County, New York area.  Bookstaber passed away living in Rockland County, New York.

It is likely that Bookstaber was associated with the Gate Hill Cooperative in Stony Point New York, which was founded by former teachers from Black Mountain College and was in very close proximity to where Bookstaber lived. Other artists who worked at Gsate Hill and whose work is now becoming known, were also producing enamel and cloisonné art, but there is very little literature about the cooperative and its membership.

Depicting a modernist rendition of a shepherd with a sheep in a tremendous diversity of brilliant colors.  The back retained an old label from the artist which needed to be removed by the conservator for the minor restoration work done, but will be provided with the work.  The work is initialed in the enamel and has carved initials on the bottom as shown.  We purchased this as one of a group of four works Bookstaber from the same source.  

Although we are selling these individually, we will consider reasonable offers for the entire group.

Condition: Very good, but with some professional conservation in a small section of the upper left edge where there was some enamel loss the size of a dime, and the entire work had to be stabilized to prevent any further losses.