Pair of Gold 'Kinetic' Earclips and Matching Ring, Pol Bury, Circa 1975

The ring and earclips designed as half spheres set en tremblant with moving spokes, gross weight approximately 25 dwts., Workshop mark for Jacques Bugin, French assay marks, ring signed Pol Bury, numbered 4/30, one earclip signed Pol Bury, both earclips numbered 2/3.

Very good condition with little or no signs of wear. The spokes in the earclips and ring are set "en tremblant".
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion. Illustrations in the catalogue may not be actual size. Prospective purchasers are reminded that, unless the catalogue description specifically states that a stone is natural, we have assumed that some form of treatment may have been used and that such treatment may not be permanent. Our presale estimates reflect this assumption.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Pol Bury (1922-2005), considered one of the founders of the kinetic art movement, was born in Haine-Saint-Pierre in Belgium. After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Mons he began working as a Surrealist under the influence of René Magritte and Yves Tanguy and participated in the International Exhibition of Surrealism in 1945. After coming across the innovative work of Alexander Calder in 1952, he decided to work as a sculptor and abandon painting.

It was as a kinetic sculptor that Bury found his true calling. Kinetic art by definition incorporates an element of mechanical or random movement. Pol Bury emphasized movement in all his work and considered a sculpture incomplete if it could not be set in motion. His works from the 1950s were activated by the viewer; by the late 1960s he employed concealed mechanisms to set things in motion. It was also in the late 60s that he began to make jewelry that adhered to the same principles as his sculpture.

The ring and earclips offered here are wearable works of art. Crafted in gold and designed with moving spokes set into half spheres, they perfectly embody Pol Bury's artistic philosophy and are a testament to the artist's originality and wit.