The Macklowe Gallery presents a rare collection of jewelry by Marcus & Co., bringing to life the often-forgotten history of this exceptional house, which I am particularly fond of. Each piece—through its precise design, virtuoso cloisonné enamelwork, expert use of platinum, and bold choice of gemstones—recounts a moment in the company’s history, from Art Nouveau to Retro styles, and shows how Marcus & Co. masterfully navigated the styles of its time.
From Dresden to New York: the birth of Marcus & Co.
Born out of Herman Marcus’ transatlantic journey, Marcus & Co. has been part of New York jewelry since 1892. Trained in Germany (at Ellemeyer, court jeweler in Dresden), Herman emigrated to New York in 1850. At Tiffany & Co., he moved from sales to the workshops thanks to his rare mastery of enamel—still little practiced in the United States—and represented the company at the 1878 World’s Fair in Paris.
After Starr & Marcus (1864), he founded Marcus & Co. at 857 Broadway with his sons William and George (chief designer). The signature style quickly became established: finely crafted gold and platinum, a pronounced taste for color (sapphires, rubies, emeralds, but also alexandrites, opals, and demantoids) and virtuosity in plique-à-jour enamel. Regular trips to Europe fostered a dialogue with Lalique, Vever, and Colonna. In 1908, the company made a splash by claiming the purchase of a large batch of black opals from Lightning Ridge and promoting this gemstone, which was still shrouded in superstition—a bold choice that broadened the tastes of the American public.
The following decades saw the aesthetic evolve without compromising its fundamentals: refined naturalism, workshop precision, and a keen sense of materials. The 1930s and 1940s brought more sculpted forms (moonstone shells, voluminous floral compositions). Weakened by the war and platinum shortages, the company was bought by Gimbelsen in 1941, then merged with Black, Starr & Frost in 1962. Although the company no longer exists, its jewelry—rare, museum-quality, and highly collectible—continues to embody the high standards and boldness of Marcus & Co.
The collection presented by Macklowe Gallery
The Macklowe Gallery brings together a rare collection of jewelry by Marcus & Co., highlighting two key periods in the company’s history: the enamelled naturalism of the early 1900s (plique-à-jour enamel, botanical volumes) and the more sculpted style of the 1930s and 1940s (moonstone, sapphires, marine and floral motifs). Each piece, unique in its craftsmanship and materials, highlights the continuity of the Marcus & Co. vision: nature as language, technique at the service of light.
Marcus & Co. — Iris brooch in plique-à-jour enamel (c. 1906)
Created around 1906, this iris brooch by Marcus & Co. combines plique-à-jour enamel and 18-carat gold. A true naturalist sculpture, it features two corollas (one of which is inverted), undulating leaves shaded in yellow and brown, and branched stems worked in low relief. Exceptionally delicate for its size, it embodies the meeting of New York design and French enamel craftsmanship.
Part of the house’s large floral series, it was probably designed by George Marcus and is the result of a collaboration between Parisian and American workshops. Although unsigned today (the plaque was removed during a modification), it remains identifiable by its structure and craftsmanship. In 1906, the Marcus & Co. shop windows displaying these enameled flowers caused a sensation on Fifth Avenue—to the point of stopping passersby in their tracks.
Marcus & Co. — Orchid pendant in plique-à-jour enamel (c. 1906)
Created around 1906, this cattleya pendant by Marcus & Co. combines plique-à-jour enamel, diamonds, and conch pearls, mounted on 18-karat gold with platinum plating. The flower, with five undulating petals, descends from set arabesques and bears conch pearl buds on articulated diamond stems.
Highly three-dimensional, it combines delicate shades, controlled fragility, and striking naturalism.
Marcus & Co. — Sapphire & Moonstone Bracelet (early 1940s)
Set in platinum, this bracelet features sea urchin shells carved from moonstone, punctuated with round sapphires and diamonds, connected by ribbons of calibrated sapphires. Cut shells are interspersed, and the clasp takes the form of a moonstone scallop shell. The intense, milky blues of the gems evoke the light of the ocean and life on the seabed.
Designed at the turn of the years 1939-1942, it illustrates Marcus & Co.’s return to naturalism in sculpted forms (shells, seahorses, birds). Inscriptions on the reverse indicate a special order—possibly the reassembly of an old piece of jewelry from the house (circa 1910), enriched and reimagined in a modern spirit.
Marcus & Co. — Moonstone, sapphire, and aquamarine shell brooch (late 1930s)
White gold clip brooch featuring a Triton shell: moonstone body carved with diamond-paved spirals, trail of polished aquamarines and oval and cushion-cut sapphires, highlighted with old-cut pentagonal and triangular diamonds. A chic and playful piece, it reflects Marcus & Co.’s response to the Parisian styles of the 1930s (Art Moderne, Retro): a harmony of subtle and bold blues that enhances the vaporous phenomenon of moonstone. The numbers on the reverse suggest a special order, possibly incorporating the client’s own stones.
Marcus & Co. — Retro Sunflower Brooch (c. 1941–1942)
Platinum flower brooch paved with flamboyant spessartite garnets, pink topaz petals, and tourmaline stems and leaves, enhanced by a pentagonal bud. Highly three-dimensional, it displays a warm palette and sculptural presence typical of the wartime Retro style.
The last major chapter in the house’s floral series, this sunflower reflects the shift in the 1930s and 1940s towards gem-encrusted volumes (orchids, lilies of the valley, gardenias, roses) that began in 1936. A manifesto piece showcasing Marcus & Co.’s confidence, color, and craftsmanship at their peak, shortly before the firm closed.
Marcus & Co.: Three Generations of New York Jewelers
This illustrated monograph on Marcus & Co., co-authored by Sheila Barron Smithie and Beth Carver Wees, traces the history of the firm from 1892 to 1942. It sheds light on the role of the Marcus family in creating Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewelry for an elite clientele, and places this boom in the context of New York industry—the Great Depression, World War II. The book is richly illustrated with major pieces, period photographs, and archival drawings.
Price: $85 – Each copy is signed by the authors and available exclusively at the Macklowe Gallery before a wider release in mid-November.
