1970s Handmade Earrings, Bronze Heart, Signed

Era: 1970-80s

Materials: Bronze, Brass/Copper

Dimensions: 2. 10" x 1. 05"

Thomas Mann made his reputation in the early ‘70s as a pioneer of the art jewelry movement. He grew up in western Pennsylvania and began making jewelry to pay for college, Mann began applying the assemblage techniques of the Dada, Surrealist and Cubist movements to jewelry.

Caught up in the rebellious idealism of the era, he declared precious materials off-limits and experimented instead with alternative metals like brass, nickel and bronze, which he chased with whimsical patterns and especially tiny machine parts from Cape Canaveral. He incorporated hearts almost from the beginning as a sort of ironic counterpart to the industrial materials. In the early ‘80s, he dubbed the look Techno-Romantic and found himself with a jewelry smash hit.

To ensure a good fit, please compare the measurements to an existing item in your wardrobe with a similar silhouette.

This item is sold from a vintage boutique in New Haven, Connecticut.