A Mystery

Available through 1st Dibs from Tadema Gallery

This is a gorgeous, provocative piece of German Symbolist Art jewelry by Karl Berthold and Maria Schmidt-Kugel.  A shell cameo framed in silver, it was made in Germany in 1919.  Art Symbolism used icons and symbols to communicate feelings and philosophy pertinent to the artist, resulting in highly personal art requiring knowledge of the artist for understanding the piece; would that I could figure out more about the two of them- what were they saying with this?  

This brooch is important enough to be featured in two German works, but, alas, my German barely got me through Wikipedia's entries featuring Karl and Maria.  If you read German, more information on this piece can be found in Schmuck in Deutschland und Osterreich 1895-1914, by Ulrike von Hase 1977, p. 172 and Schmuck der 20er und 30er Jahre in Deutschland by Christianne Weber, 1990, pp.134-136 & 368.