Pre-Columbian Collection, 1972-1974
In the early 1970s, Lawrence Vrba created some of the most iconic and prized collections today.
Particularly prized is the pre-Columbian jewelry collection, inspired by artifacts from the archives of the American Museum of Natural History. Ancient jewelry was transformed into spectacular and colorful works of art by Lawrence in the 1970s. They are most often made in gold-tone metal with intricate characteristic details, with enamels, complemented by huge bright glass cabochons.
An advertising campaign from the Saks Fifth Ave department store read:
“Feeling like a Mayan. The pendant is just the thing. It’s such a primal/simple piece, just great for dressing up your very civilized, feminine looks. Totems, Sun and Moon images, masks, idols and mythological Gods. Truly true iterations ancient Mayan jewelry, recreated as brooches and pendants of all weights and sizes, sometimes set with stones, sometimes not.”