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Jonathan Bailey Creations

These digital images are taken from the photos of renowned designers and goldsmiths John (Jonathan) and Arlene Bailey. Jonathan was born John William Bailey, c. 1930, in Braddock Pennsylvania to Joel and Margaret Bailey. Jonathan passed away in 1994. Arlene was born Arlene Clothier, c. 1937, to Charles and Vee Clothier in Timmins Ontario Canada. Arlene passed away in 1995. Jonathan and Arlene were married in 1958. Jonathan and Arlene valued their privacy and limited their public exposure to provide a warm and nurturing environment conducive to raising their four children; therefore, there is not much public information about them. Many of the photos have not been made available to the public, and the photos that went public have apparently been lost or forgotten over time. Jonathan and Arlene Bailey shared all the responsibilities within their partnership, and they were the only husband and wife team that designed and manufactured and promoted their products for sale to a select few. Their youngest son says, “Both of my parents were very talented, and chances are very good that any final product had the sweat and tears from both. Mom’s [Arlene] drawings and sketches were excellent. She would conceive an image or perceive the image the client wanted and then sketch that image on paper. The sketched image would then be turned into a wax model by either one of them, or both. Unless the work was completely my dad’s, chances are good that most if not all the final products required mom’s approval before it was released. If the wax model or casting did not match mom’s sketch that product would have to be changed or discarded, and sometimes there was conflict within this process.” Dad [Jonathan] made his own drawings and wax models accordingly. Mom was famous for her roses and some of those roses were included in dad’s works. Dad did most of the casting and finishing. Jonathan and Arlene manufactured unique high-end 14k and 18k showpieces, for private clients and jewelry stores, in the 60’s and the 70’s. An affordable alternative to their master works was a separate and unique line manufactured for the masses through Trifari. Jonathan and Arlene also introduced the “Guru-V Jewelry” line under the name “Peter O”. Jonathan and Arlene Bailey share ten international awards between them, so I felt it was appropriate to display these two artists as a unit until their partnership ended, when Jonathan and Arlene parted ways and divorced c.1983. Additionally, Jonathan and Arlene had carried their talents into other forms of expression, including the use of cloisonné. Jonathan had also constructed artwork fashioned from steel or copper. The physical documents representing jewelry and design were part of Jonathan and Arlene’s personal portfolio. The physical documents of artistic expression, family and/or events were once the personal property and memories of their happy marriage. All these documents, apart from the obituaries, were touched by Jonathan and Arlene Bailey and probably most of their children. These digital photos and the images contained within remain the property of their youngest son Franz Joseph Bailey and all the rights are reserved. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED