Lot 298
PAUL PRESTON (BRITISH 1943-) §
FISH AND HEART RING, 2009
Auction: MODERN MADE | Lots 1 - 422 | Fri 01 May at 10am
Description
stamped maker's mark PP, dated January 2009 and impressed with maker's Red Mole symbol (inside the band), yellow metal and white metal, the wide band adorned with various applied motifs, including geometric figures and a collet-set circular cabochon ruby
Dimensions
Ring size P½, gross weight 6 grams
Provenance
Electrum Gallery, London, where acquired by the present owner;
Private Collection.
Footnote
Born in Leeds, Paul Preston, also known as the “Red Mole”, initially trained and worked as an architect before turning to jewellery as a self-taught maker. Blending meticulous craftsmanship with inventive design, he has established himself as one of the most distinctive figures in contemporary British jewellery. After practising architecture for only two years, Preston left the profession and spent time diving off Land’s End, catching crawfish and salvaging non-ferrous metals from shipwrecks. His fascination with jewellery began when he encountered the work of the artist and sculptor Breon O’Casey.
Much of Preston’s jewellery draws inspiration from the natural world, particularly birds and fish. These subjects are reimagined in metal through forms that often feel playful and imaginative. Influences from cartoons and illustrated storybooks appear alongside a whimsical, almost poetic sensibility, giving his work a distinctive blend of fantasy and nature.