With her playfully bold, nature-inspired pieces, Angela Cummings has left a lasting mark on the world of jewelry design. Full of movement and sensational color, her eye-catching collar necklaces, stud earrings and bracelets continue to be favored by red-carpet celebrities and tastemakers the world over.
Cummings was born in Austria in 1944, during a time when her country was being torn apart by war. At the age of three her family moved to America, where she was raised. Returning to her native country as an adult, Cummings studied art in Perugia, Italy, then went on to study jewelry design in Hanau, West Germany. She graduated with a degree in gemology, goldsmithing and jewelry design from Zeichenakademie in 1967.
Cummings returned to the United States after finishing her studies. She marched into legendary American luxury house Tiffany & Co. in New York City and asked for a job. Under the mentorship of Donald Claflin, a designer who’d previously worked for David Webb, Cummings became a respected in-house designer for the brand. Her named collection, Angela Cummings Exclusively for Tiffany & Co., debuted in 1974.
Cummings created sumptuous 18K gold accessories that were inlaid with coral, opal, mother-of-pearl, jade and lapis lazuli. Not unlike the work of Elsa Peretti, who signed an exclusive contract with Tiffany & Co. in 1974, Cummings’ designs — seashell necklaces, maple leaf pendants — drew on the shapes and forms of the natural world.
As her style continued to develop, Cummings integrated silver, precious gemstones and platinum into her work, creating exquisite juxtapositions by mixing the materials with wood and iron. Her pieces increasingly featured more movement-inspired elements — curling vines, crashing waves and billowing cloud forms — that hearkened to the rhythms of nature.
In 1982, People magazine featured Cummings' jewelry and the publicity launched her into the spotlight. Two years later, she established her own business, Angela Cummings Inc., and began to experiment with abstraction in her work, as well as allowing her surroundings in Japan, where she opened several boutiques, to inspire her adornments.
Cummings retired in 2003, making a brief comeback in 2013 to collaborate with Assael Jewelry, for which she created an exclusive line of cultured pearl jewelry.
Find vintage Angela Cummings earrings, necklaces, brooches and other accessories on 1stDibs.
$523Sale Price / set|25% Off
ANGELA CUMMINGS 1983 For Arita Pair Of Twisted Shakers In Gilded Porcelain
By Angela Cummings, Arita
Located in Miami, FL
Pair of twisted table shakers designed by Angela Cummings. A beautiful and rare pair of table shakers designed in New York City by the celebrated artist-designer Angela Cummings in ...
Gold
$598Sale Price / set|25% Off
ANGELA CUMMINGS 1983 For Arita Set of 3 Twisted Candlesticks In White Porcelain
By Arita, Angela Cummings
Located in Miami, FL
Set of Twisted Candlesticks designed by Angela Cummings. This is a beautiful and rare set of three table candlesticks designed in New York City by the celebrated artist-designer Ang...
Porcelain
Topkapi Set of 6 Porcelain Plates Made in Italy
By Les Ottomans
Located in ROCCAVIVARA CB, IT
The magical atmosphere of the hidden places of the Ottoman Sultans this is what this collection represents Come and join in this mythologigal then uniq...
Porcelain
$2,700 / set
H 2 in Dm 3 in
Piero Fornasetti Gilded Porcelain Appetizer Bowls Barware Set Of 6, 1960's
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in North Miami, FL
These fabulous small Mid-Century Modern Piero Fornasetti vintage appetizer small serving bowls are porcelain with gilded gold edges, bottom and ins...
Gold
Ikat Porcelain Dessert Plates - Set of 6, Made in Italy
By Bertrando Di Renzo
Located in ROCCAVIVARA CB, IT
Ikat patterns are an integral part of our colorful world, celebrating the beauty of this timeless design. Inspired by its rich heritage, we’ve transformed some of our most iconic Ikat designs into a vibrant porcelain plate collection. Handmade in Italy, this set of 6 plates is perfect for adding a joyful, playful touch to your tableware collection or as stunning decorative wall pieces. These plates are designed to bring elegance and delight to every dining experience. Made in Italy 100% Porcelain Hand-applied decal Set of 6 Ikat Plates...
Porcelain
$8,175 / set
H 28.35 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in
Pair of Mosque Porcelain Lamps with Gilded and Enameled Floral Patterns
Located in Marbella, ES
Islamic religious buildings traditionally were lit with glass lamps, generally called mosque lamps, that hung from chains.
Porcelain
$230
H 1.02 in W 7.88 in D 6.25 in
Vintage Japanese Porcelain Tray Arita Sometsuke Blue White Birds Decor
By Arita
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage rectangular porcelain tray features a traditional Arita style blue and white decor with motif of small bird sitting on flowering tree branches in Sometsuke decoration techniq...
Ceramic, Porcelain, Pottery
$1,032Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 4.14 in Dm 5.52 in
Antique Pair of Paris Porcelain Gilded Coffee Cups and Saucers
By Porcelaine de Paris
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
An exquisite pair of antique white 'Porcelaine de Paris' teacups and saucers, intricately hand- painted with gilt decoration throughout. Dating from the early 19th century, the cups ...
Porcelain
$1,200 / set
H 11 in W 8.75 in D 8.75 in
Pair of Thai Benjarong Lidded Porcelain Jars Vibrantly Hand Painted and Gilded
Located in Morristown, NJ
20th c., a stunning pair of large Thai Benjarong lidded porcelain jars, vibrantly enameled by hand and embellished with 18 carat gold. One marked on und...
Gold, Enamel
Fornasetti “Plate n.16 Calendario “ Porcelain 1983 Italy
By Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
Fornasetti “Plate n.16 Calendario “ porcelain 1983 Italy.
Porcelain
Pair of Antique Rococo Style Russian Porcelain Candlesticks
Located in London, GB
These exquisite porcelain candlesticks were made in the 19th century by the famous Russian Popov Manufactory. The candlesticks are Rococo in their style. They feature knopped stem...
Porcelain
Meissen, porcelain candlestick decorated in the “Green Indian” pattern.
Located in København, Copenhagen
Meissen Candlestick “Green Indian”, mid-20th century. Elegant porcelain candlestick decorated in the classic “Green Indian” pattern with hand-painted green foliage with gilded detail...
Porcelain
$2,915 / set
H 43.31 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Antique Pair Japanese Kangxi Blue & White Arita Porcelain Temple Lidded Vases
Located in London, GB
A stunning pair of monumental Meiji period Japanese blue and white porcelain temple vases in the Kangxi Taste, mid 20th century in date. The Foo Dog lidded vases are ovoid and featu...
Porcelain
$524Sale Price / set|64% Off
H 1.97 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in
Japanese Arita Pair of blue and white porcelain serving platters
By Arita
Located in Valladolid, ES
Exquisite pair of large Arita porcelain or Imari porcelain plates or trays. Arita porcelain or Imari porcelain is the Western name for porcelain products made in the town of Arita. I...
Porcelain
Angela Cummings Set Three Miniature Gold Leaf Hand-Painted Insect Vases
By Angela Cummings
Located in Westport, CT
Angela Cummings set of three miniature hand-painted gold leaf vases in original box with label, hand-painted one with ants, one with butterfly and ...
Enamel