Jennifer Cross Gans wearing the squash blossom necklace that started her journey as a jewelry collector. 

Our Member of the Month for May is Jennifer Cross Gans. Jennifer was a long-time MAG member and all around jewelry enthusiast. She passed away earlier this year. The Metal Arts Guild commemorates Jennifer here with a piece of her writing, and links to writings by others in the jewelry community. 

LIFE BEGINS WITH A SQUASH  BLOSSOM NECKLACE

by Jennifer Cross Gans

It was a summer afternoon in 1973, and my son, then two and a half, was a newcomer in San Francisco, happily being pushed in a stroller in a narrow Grant Avenue street.  I chance to look into a shoe store and found some examples of an auction of Native American jewelry.  What caught my eye was a squash blossom necklace, weighing well over 8 oz, and decorated with massive blocks of dark red coral.  It cost $250, which in those days was a fair chunk of change. 

I dithered, but I was hooked.  I loved the prospect of wearing such a marvelous, eye-catching piece.  But I feared  the prospect of spending so much money from the household accounts:  what would my husband think?  Suddenly I recalled my own bank account, and thought, what the hell, I will buy it anyway.  So I did.

My husband admired the necklace, and said not a word.  I wore it a few times, then put it away.  But I became a collector from then onwards.  

So began a long pilgrimage in search of ethnic jewelry of all kinds.  But I later moved on to modern art jewelry, of a kind AJF loves so well, particularly the work of my friends who spend their lives working at it.

I should mention that I wore the necklace at a jewelry show, and was offered a good deal more money if I would care to sell it.  Sorry!  I wasn’t interested.

PS The earrings?  Definitely modern jewelry, and I made them, of course.

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