How to tell GENUINE modernist James Parker of San Diego jewelry!

sterling and synthetic gemstone ring
San Diego California modernist James Parker made jewelry and enamel artwork from the 1950s through the 1970s. His pieces are entirely made by hand, and they are always unique one of a kind pieces, never made in multiples or cast. He used a lot of interesting and unusual stones including large synthetic faceted gemstones, along with sterling silver, copper, brass, and enamel.

copper enamel panel in wood frame
His enamel artwork is usually bold and strikingly modern, and each piece is entirely hand made and one of a kind.
Similar designs are possible, but not exact copies.

sterling ring with enamel
As you can see in the example at left his jewelry is bold yet simple in design with abstract and geometric elements, and his designs are never lightweight flimsy or floral inspired.

James Parker's mark on jewelry
This is the ONLY correct James Parker mark on jewelry, anything other than this mark is NOT by the mid century modernist silversmith James Parker of San Diego California. I've seen it once or twice without the words "Hand Made" or "Sterling", but the central conjoined JP mark with the outline around it is the ONLY correct James Parker mark on jewelry.


NOT James Parker
The ring at left is one of the designs that I've seen most often misidentified as by James Parker. There is no comparison to his genuine work above, and the mark, although a conjoined JP is NOT the mark shown above which is the only genuine James Parker hallmark on his jewelry. James Parker was a mid-century modernist NOT an Art Nouveau revivalist like this ring AND his jewelry was entirely handmade NOT mass produced and cast like this ring.
In conclusion...
Unfortunately, most of the jewelry that I've seen here on eBay identified as being by James Parker ISN'T. If the mark isn't the exact mark shown above it ISN'T his work. If it's lightweight airy or flimsy design, it's not by him. Especially if it's one of these mass produced Art Nouveau revivalist pieces, it's definitely NOT his work. His work was featured in the Mingei Museum exhibition, "San Diego's Craft Revolution" in 2011/2012, and the accompanying book which can still be purchased from the museum website also features the work of many other prominent San Diego artist craftsmen of the mid century period.

There are some pieces of James Parker's jewelry that were never marked. These were pieces that were found in his workshop after his death that he never sent out to galleries, and thus hadn't been marked yet. They are very much in the bold handmade modernist style shown in the examples above, and there are only a few of them and most of them are well-known pieces that are documented.

an unsigned ring
This ring by Parker was one of the pieces purchased from his estate that was never marked. This ring was in the exhibition "San Diego's Craft Revolution" and was pictured in the book that accompanied the exhibition.