Toney Duquette Jewelry

One of the designers I find most inspiring is Tony Duquette.

above images: Town and Country December 2009

Tony Duquette had a life long fascination with jewelry. The jewelry he designed was opulent, extravagant, and exotic. He first started to make jewelry during the 1940s' and gained an international following after his one man exhibition at the Louvre in 1951. Over the next 45 years the jewelry Tony Duquette created did not number more than 500, and before 1960 none were signed. He used precious and semi precious stones mixed with materials such as, antiques pieces, silver, gold, glass to name a few. With his masterful skill and sophisticated eye Tony along with his partner Hutton Wilkinson created one of a kind pieces that were valued for design and not gemology. He was commissioned to design jewelry by celebrities, socialites, even the Duchess of Windsor. In 1994 the jewelry was brought to the attention of Bergdorf Goodman in New York who commissioned Tony Duquette and Hutton Wilkinson to design an exclusive line for the store. After Tony Duquette's death in 1999, his partner Hutton Wilkinson continues designing jewelry under the Tony Duquette name available exclusively through Sakes Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Hutton Wilkinson has shared much more about the jewelry and Tony Duquettes life in his books Tony Duquette and More is More:Tony Duquette


Firoozeh Khorrami

Design Schematic

Tony Duquette

Last week I attended Hutton Wilkinson's lecture and book signing at the Pacific Design Center. Wilkinson was long time business partner of the late Tony Duquette, and continues designing and marketing textiles, jewelry, and home furnishings under the Tony Duquette name. He was promoting the release of his new book More is More: Tony Duquette. It was truly a wonderful and inspiring day.
Tony Duquette was superbly talented as a painter, sculpture, set designer, interior designer and jewelry designer. His love for the exotic and eccentric was evident in the way he lived life and in his designs, nothing was too extravagant or opulent. Along with his artist wife they hosted many elaborate parties during Hollywood's heydays. Tony Duquette's creative use and reuse of the ordinary transformed into the extraordinary has inspired and continues to influence many designers.
Baker furniture in collaboration with Hutton Wilkinson has introduced a limited edition of Tony Duquette's custom furniture line. If you're in Los Angeles, stop by the Baker showroom at the PDC to see this collection. Pictures don't do them justice



Gold Toad -Toad was a reoccurring theme in TD's work



Abalone Chandelier - was designed for Duquette's one-man exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1952 and later moved to the drawing room at Charles and Palmer Ducommun Bel Air residence.




Biomorphic Mirror and Console - originally designed for the Charles and Palmer Ducommun Bel Air residence in the 1960s




Insect Man - This sculpture was designed originally to display one of TD's jewelry pieces




Duquette's office at home




Bergdorf Goodman's 2007 Holiday windows

I love the Gold Toad
Which one is your favorite?

Firoozeh

DesignSchematic