Ball Accented Link Bracelet

The interest of this bracelet lies in its construction: a chain of silver links whose surfaces are accented with applied small balls, a detail that gives a flat band of metal a worked, tactile surface and catches light along its length. The applied bead is a recurring device in Spratling's later work, used here to enliven the links without resorting to stones or color.

The bracelet dates to Spratling's Third Design Period, 1951 to 1967, the years many consider his most inventive, when he pushed the play of texture and silhouette in handwrought silver. A necklace was also made in the same link style, so the bracelet belongs to a coordinated design rather than standing alone.

Link jewelry of this period, built entirely in silver and relying on the rhythm of repeated links rather than applied ornament, sits at the heart of what Spratling's Taxco workshop did best. Pieces from these final years come to market with some regularity but remain sought by collectors who track each phase of his output.