Jerry Fels was born in Brooklyn, New York. His parents, Leah and Harry Felsenstein, encouraged his education in the fine arts. He regularly went to The Brooklyn Museum to sketch the Old Masters, and first sold one of his drawings for $2 in front of the museum.
He joined the Art Students League and then the National Academy of Design in New York where he developed his talent of painting, sculpture and design. After a career as an Art Director and full time executive for Gertz' department store, he enlisted in the Air Force at the outbreak of World War II and became a B-17 fighter pilot. He finally returned to California in October 1945 and began the work that shaped the rest of his professional life.
He established his company ‘Renoir of California' in Los Angeles in 1946, specializing in copper jewelry of geometric abstract forms. Copper was the popular choice for early 20th century crafts metalworkers. With members of his family he went on to found another important name in 20th century costume jewelry, Matisse Ltd in 1952. Matisse jewelry was also made of copper, but had the added sparkle of enamel decoration to the surface, taking the jewelry in a new direction. The business grew and at one point employed 300 people. They also produced a range of jewelry in silver marked ‘Sceptron' and used the mark ‘Sauteur' after February 1946. After June 1958, the mark ‘Sterling Sauteur Renoir' was used with a copyright symbol.
Although the company was famous for its jewelry made in both copper and enamel and was worn by film stars of the day such as Lana Turner, both Renoir and Matisse companies ceased trading in 1964 as fashions changed and demand was no longer there. (‘Copper Art Jewelery – A Different Lustre' by Matthew L. Burkholz and Linda Lichtenberg Kaplan, Schiffer Books).
Jerry Fels was also a sculptor and he formed a design group named ‘Curtis Jere' or ‘C.Jere' (last name pronounced Ger' ray ), with his brother-in-law Kurt Freiler, which he directed for their company Artisan House. (www. artisanhouse.com) ‘Curtis Jere' was an artist invented by the two men who began a business entity specializing in decorative arts made mostly of metals to breathe life into modern interior design. The company designed a variety of home accessories including wall sculptures, and irons, portrait busts, lamps, etc., made from various metals including copper, steel, brass, bronze and other mixed medias. Jerry Fels specialized in design and sales, and Kurt Freiler ran the production side of the business.
After more than four decades of developing a reputation for unparalleled design expertise and meticulous handcrafting, a strong after-market has developed for Artisan House products. Online auctions of vintage C. Jere pieces regularly see fierce bidding and recent high-profile coverage in magazines such as UK Elle Decor and Architectural Digest, and Modernism are sure to increase demand.
Pieces for purchase from Maurice Beane Studios
Curtis Jere sculpture available at Lewis Trimble
