OOAK Cathleen Bunt Sterling 14k 24k Modernist Memphis Style Retro Earrings Circa 1980's

Measurements: 1"R (2.54cm)

Markings: Maker's Mark - Sterling (14k on Posts and backs)

Weight: 9.5g

Striking artisan-designed earrings by award-winning American studio jeweler Cathleen Bunt. Each circular earring is handcrafted in richly oxidized sterling silver and embellished with raised 24-karat yellow-gold accents arranged in an exuberant composition of spirals, zigzags, triangles, squares and linear forms.

The asymmetrical, individually composed designs give the pair a lively sense of rhythm and movement. Their bold geometric vocabulary recalls the playful experimentation of the 1980s Memphis design movement while retaining the craftsmanship and sculptural quality associated with American studio jewelry.

Finished with solid 14-karat yellow-gold posts and matching 14-karat gold butterfly backs, these earrings offer a beautiful contrast between velvety blackened silver and luminous high-karat gold. Although generously scaled, their circular profile sits neatly against the ear and creates a strong, sophisticated statement.

The earrings are signed with Cathleen Bunt’s maker’s mark and marked STERLING. The posts and earring backs are marked for 14K gold. They remain in excellent vintage condition with no damage noted.

A distinctive and highly collectible example of late-20th-century American studio jewelry—perfect for collectors of modernist, Memphis, atomic and mixed-metal artisan design.

Model head is a life-size representation

Cathleen Bunt is an award-winning American fine-art jeweler based on Maui. She earned her BFA in gold- and silversmithing from the State University of New York at New Paltz in 1979, graduating magna cum laude after studying with noted metalsmiths Kurt Matzdorf and Robert Ebendorf. Early in her career, she worked in sterling silver combined with aluminum and other contrasting materials before expanding into technically complex jewelry made with high-karat gold, gemstones and diamonds. She is also the designer and originator of the Charms of Aloha collection.