Sometimes you may be "one of the learned first few who list or publish" the discovered maker, or you come in at the waning stage of the collecting cycle.  Waning collection cycle or not, this signed Art Nouveau dragon sash is a smash!

Although little is known about him, his brass sash ornament pin brooch pieces are highly coveted and collectible, particulary those with the earliest maker's mark of GS on an applied brass lozenge.  Later pieces are stamped GNS.  Later still stamped directly on the piece itself as GNS&Co.  While not all his pieces are marked, some are found and collected unsigned, then some with red & green art glass stones, may just be marked: G.  

His favored figural motifs are green eyed dragons, chimera, serpents, griffins, lizards, bats, birds and lions, often "holding up stones", in Egyptian and flowy Art Nouveau foliate lines. All idolized during that short lived design period we all know and love as the Art Nouveau or Beaux Arts Style period. The real special pieces demonstrate his expert management in mixing his applied motifs by fusing the Nouveau critters with Arts & Crafts hammered surfaces then onto the Deco Era. Look for his curled corners or as they are known in the button collecting world, the coveted "handkerchief corners".

He seemed to like amber color glass, although amethyst color and others were used as well.  However, the red and green EOD foil-embedded stones are simply delish and not often seen! The red and green cabochons were frit laced end of the day glass and are now appreciated as true art glass stones.

According to Rainwater, et al, his name was George Nathaniel Steere and his mark was G.N.S. & Co.  He operated George N. Steere & Company in Providence, RI from 1909 until 1911, at which time he closed out said business and joined the Payton & Kelley Company as its secretary and manager.  In 1917, The Jewelers Circular Weekly has him alive and vacationing with his family.

While he may have been rediscovered by avid collectors a few years ago, tis time to commence the tertiary collecting cycle today!

This piece is SOLD.  To acquire an unsigned piece by George Steere, please copy and paste: www.mimideeartwear.com/catalog/

...and search: 1177895.  It could be yours at a low, low bid auction ending 9/27/15!

Except for the Rainwater & Jewelers Circular Weekly info, all the original text composition and images are solely owned by Mimi Dee and may not be reproduced in any form.  December 20, 2012.