William Kerr Crab Brooch

American silversmith William B. Kerr was a manufacturer of jewelry and silverware who established his company in New Jersey in 1855. Kerr was well known for his elaborate and unique Art Nouveau pieces, and in the hierarchy of American jewelers, Kerr is up among the gods—nothing short of iconic. Gorham, a premier U.S. flatware company, recognized his worth and eventually bought him out. And then there were no more William Kerr pieces.
You've probably seen Kerr's designs without realizing just whose they were. THIS designed piece, however, is notably rare, either becaue not very many of the crabs were manufactured—let's face it: a crab isn't exactly your average woman's idea of a romantic or stylish adornment—or because collectors simply don't let them go.
Hallmarked with Kerr’s symbol, a fasces: a single-bit axe with rods bound with straps. This trademark of a medieval axe with three X marks was in use from 1892 until 1927. I was very lucky to find this brooch some years back, and have treasured it, and justly so; at present there is no other for sale online.
It cannot be understated: this is simply an extraordinary piece. Note how Kerr has elevated a humble bottom-feeding crustacean into a masterpiece of elegant sculpture. It is all swirls and textures, highly stylized yet still grounded in reality, as seen in the crab's jointed legs and stippled back. And here's something you may not have thought of: this crab doesn't look mean. It's not out to pinch you. For Google giggles, take a look at other crab brooches and jewelry and see if you can spot as benign and...well, friendly-looking a crab among what you find.
How Kerr achieved this carb's charms, I do not know, but I suspect it has something to do with the faraway look in the creature's eyes. Do you see it? While its pinchers are open, seemingly ready to strike, its eyes are definitely signaling "spaced-out." Remember, REAL crabs' eyes are on stalks, which makes them look a little menacing, which of course they are. (Ever tried to catch even a small one at the beach? Ouch!) No, this crab has its eyes withdrawn, as if it were in a resting state, and maybe its pinchers are open like that just because he's so dang relaxed.
Brooch measures 2" (50.8mm) at widest point of body, and 1.75" (44.45mm) from crab-claw tip to bottom curl. The brooch is convex and stands about .25" (6.35) away from its pin at center of body.
The crab is repoussé and hollow.
Weight: 15.7 grams.
Marked 1356 for the number of the design.