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Massive Signed 1980s Martha Sturdy Doorknocker Earrings
$1,650
£1,247.21
€1,430.60
CA$2,300.17
A$2,503.92
CHF 1,329.08
MX$30,127.55
NOK 16,841.28
SEK 15,431.37
DKK 10,683.64
About the Item
A truly exceptional, signed early pair of monumental Martha Sturdy earrings—arguably the most recognizable and collectible form she ever created. Dating from the mid-1980s Vancouver studio period, these earrings measure an arresting 93mm long by 37mm wide, a dramatic sculptural scale that made Sturdy a fixture of top-tier fashion styling throughout the 1990s.
Sturdy’s jewelry became synonymous with the era’s supermodel-driven fashion moment. Her bold, architectural forms appeared in campaigns and editorials for Vogue, W, Harper’s Bazaar, Italian Vogue, and The Face, worn by virtually every supermodel of the decade: Helena Christensen, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Shalom Harlow, and others. Her work defined the powerful, graphic silhouette of the early 90s.
While today her large-scale sculpture, resin furniture, and lighting regularly command five-figure prices and appear in museums and design galleries worldwide, her early jewelry is exponentially rarer—the output was small, studio-produced, and not widely distributed. Signed pairs of earrings have become exceptionally scarce on the international market.
This pair showcases Sturdy’s iconic use of cast brass, paired with vivid multicolor “confetti” resin drops—a material she hand-formulated in the 1980s, using embedded pigments and chips to create a terrazzo-like pattern. The earrings are lightweight enough to wear comfortably yet bold enough to function as miniature sculptures.
The oval “MARTHA STURDY / VANCOUVER” signature plaque remains perfectly intact, affirming their origin during her most collectible phase.
Condition is exceptional; pieces of this era are rarely found without oxidation, loss, or repair. These have clearly lived most of their life safely stored rather than worn.
As Sturdy’s early jewelry continues to surface in high-profile retrospectives and publications on postmodern design, interest among collectors has risen sharply. Signed examples such as this pair are now considered investment-level pieces of late 20th-century art jewelry.
A show-stopping, gallery-worthy pair of wearable sculptures from one of the most influential voices in modern Canadian design.
- Creator:
- Metal:
- Weight:24 g
- Dimensions:Diameter: 1.46 in (37 mm)Length: 3.67 in (93 mm)
- Style:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1995
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Northampton, MA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1589127887032
About the Seller
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- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Northampton, MA
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