Buckle

A pioneering force in the American Arts and Crafts movement, Elizabeth E. Copeland was one of the leading American enamellists of her time. Her work exhibits a strikingly bold and intentionally coarse quality that references her devotion to medieval enamels. Trained in Boston and England, she worked briefly at Boston’s Handicrafts Shop before establishing her own studio, which she maintained until her retirement in 1937. Copeland won numerous awards and honors during her career. She customarily worked in heavy-gauge silver, as evident in this buckle. Its bold yet intricate composition, framing a large central floral element, is characteristic of her work from the second decade of the twentieth century. Although primarily known for her covered boxes, she also made jewelry—primarily brooches and necklaces—examples of which are quite rare today.