Lots of jewelry-makers repurpose materials, but Detroit-based Rebel Nell is upping the game with a collection using glass recovered during the renovation of the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, the oldest continually operating conservatory in the United States.
Designed by celebrated architect Albert Kahn with Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in mind, the conservatory in Detroit’s Belle Isle Park dates to 1904 and still had its original steel trusses. It has been closed since November 2022 for a $10 million renovation.
Rebel Nell is making only 225 pieces for the limited-edition collection, using discarded glass from the greenhouse building (and its massive 80-foot-high dome) as well as flowers and foliage from the conservatory’s gardens, says Amy Peterson, cofounder and CEO of Rebel Nell, a jewelry and accessories brand certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.
Introduced Aug. 24, the collection includes necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets, cufflinks, and some household goods, such as bottle stoppers. Each piece has a unique serial number engraved on the back, Peterson says. Prices range from $45 for a Lauren ring to $120 for Diana earrings. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Belle Isle Conservancy.
“Belle Isle is my favorite place in the city,” Peterson says. “We are thrilled to partner with the Belle Isle Conservancy in this monumental collaboration highlighting the history and importance of the conservatory to this community. Together, we’ve embarked on a journey that not only breathes new life into discarded materials but also celebrates the splendor of nature and history.”
Rebel Nell’s Belle Isle jewelry is a testament to the brand’s craftsmanship. Flowers were combined with shattered glass fragments, then sealed with resin, so the pieces highlight a floral beauty and the interconnectedness of art and nature, Peterson says.
Regarded as Belle Isle’s crown, the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory is named for the woman who donated 600 impressive orchids to the city of Detroit, giving it the largest municipally owned orchid collection in the country, according to Historic Detroit. Scripps Whitcomb was the daughter of Detroit News founder James E. Scripps.
Rebel Nell is known for using materials from popular Detroit landmarks and products in its jewelry, such as pieces of Motown records or parts from now-demolished sports facilities including the Joe Louis Arena, where the Detroit Red Wings hockey team played. Its primary collections use graffiti from Detroit murals and artworks.
Top: Detroit-based Rebel Nell has created jewelry in a collaboration with the Belle Isle Conservancy and Michigan Department of Natural Resources. (Photos courtesy of Rebel Nell)
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