This brooch is by the Swedish designer Rey Urban. Rey was born in Stockholm Sweden on 14th September 1929 to Gustav and Sirri. In 1947 he went to Konstfackskolan, the largest independent university in Sweden for the study of art, design and crafts opened in 1844. At Konstfackskolan he studied metal work and graduated in 1951. In the early 1950s Rey studied in France, Germany, England and Brazil. For a short period Rey was employed by Chor in Denmark. Ditlev Madsen Chor established his company in 1860 in Fredericia in Jutland producing and selling silver flatware. Chor later moved into jewellery production taking direct inspiration from and sometimes directly copying the work of Georg Jensen, the factory closed in 1987. In 1955 Rey became a master silversmith and set up his own company in Stockholm. He worked with Claës Erik Johan Knut Giertta, fellow silversmith and sculptor and Swedish baron. Together they exhibited their work worldwide including Norway, Finland, Brazil and New York. Rey died in 2015 and is credited with making stylish and extremely wearable silver jewellery which continues to be much sought after. His name may not be as well-known as Georg Jensen but his jewellery is no less sought after by collectors and connoisseurs.
My brooch is made of solid silver and has been hand chased to create a ‘bark’ effect. It is one of my ‘go to’ brooches as it can be worn with almost everything adding that little touch of class to any outfit.
Watch out for something completely different from Italy next month.