C. Jeré Metal Wall Sculpture of Stylized Branches and Leaves (1969)

Description This is an especially beautiful mixed metal wall sculpture designed by C.Jeré and manufactured by Artisan House in California in 1969.  This design is an early, iconic one and makes a nice alternative to a painting.  The metal leaves reflect the light and inject a whole new level of energy into a room. Details Mixed, shaped, patinated and welded metal Signed and dated  22" x 44" About the Designer C. Jeré is the design collaboration of brothers-in-law Jerry Fels and Kurt Freiler.  Freiler, a German immigrant and manufacturing expert with a knack for reinventing the use of tools, met New York City-based artist Fels in the 1940s. Initially partners in a costume jewelry company, the pair launched Artisan House in 1964 to produce "gallery-quality art for the masses.” It quickly became known for its collection of eclectic, decorative wall décor and other objects ranging from the representational to the highly abstract.  Each piece, crafted in California, bore the C. Jeré signature. In a November 2010 article in Elle Decor, Mitchell Owens writes that C. Jeré creations were distributed by Raymor, a cutting edge studio in New York City, and retailed at Gump’s in San Francisco and other high quality retailers. He also reported that "under Freiler's meticulous direction, the workers -- a number of whom were minorities or handicapped -- sheared, crimped, torched, and welded brass, copper, and other metals before coating them with luminous patinas.”  Some of the older techniques -- involving the use of enamels, resins and bronzes, haven’t been been used in decades.  Jerry Fels passed away in 2008 and Kurt Freiler in 2013 and Artisan House has changed hands many times; production of popular mid-century modern designs has moved to China. As proof of C. Jeré’s lasting popularity, Jonathan Adler now produces authorized reproductions of three C. Jeré iconic designs using traditional techniques priced beginning at $1,500.  However, the most sought after pieces continue to be those produced during C. Jeré’s hey day in the late 60s through the 70s.