Ted Muehling Jewelry at BON TON goods: Nature, Precision, and the New York Atelier
There are designers whose work is instantly recognizable because it announces itself. And then there are makers like Ted Muehling, whose signature is more restrained: a kind of exactness that reveals itself through proportion, material, and the way an object feels in the hand.
At BON TON goods, our connection to Ted Muehling is personal. Mikkel Brøgger, co-founder of BON TON goods, trained as an apprentice and later worked directly with Ted for many years in New York. That experience created more than professional knowledge. It shaped an eye, a standard, and a lifelong respect for craft that is both disciplined and poetic.
Ted Muehling’s jewelry has long been collected by those who value natural form, impeccable making, and design that does not rely on trend. His work draws from the organic world, but it is never literal. It is not “nature jewelry.” It is jewelry as design, built on observation and translated into form with extraordinary clarity.
This journal entry focuses on the Ted Muehling pieces we currently offer at BON TON goods, with special emphasis on the jewelry, alongside our selection of his metal candlesticks, his collaboration with Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg, and his book.
Explore the full Ted Muehling collection here.
Ted Muehling: A New York Legacy in Jewelry
Ted Muehling is widely regarded as one of the most important American jewelry designers of the past several decades. His work emerged from New York’s world of studio craft and design, but it has always stood slightly apart from fashion. He is not interested in seasonality. He is interested in form.
In Ted’s jewelry, you find a rare combination:
natural references, translated with restraint
strong, resolved silhouettes
and a sensitivity to scale that feels almost architectural
The result is jewelry that feels contemporary even after decades. It does not belong to a moment. It belongs to a person.
Why Ted Muehling Jewelry Feels So Distinct
Many designers can make something beautiful. Fewer can make something that feels inevitable.
Ted’s pieces often have that quality. The curve is right. The weight is right. The negative space is right. The proportions do not rely on ornament. Instead, the object itself carries the design.
Collectors sometimes describe his work as “simple,” but simplicity in jewelry is one of the hardest achievements. It requires:
impeccable control of line
absolute confidence in proportion
and materials that can hold their own without embellishment
Ted Muehling’s jewelry does exactly that.
Our Ted Muehling Jewelry Selection at BON TON goods
At BON TON goods, we focus on Ted Muehling jewelry that is wearable, collectible, and enduring. Pieces that can become part of someone’s daily language, not just a special-occasion moment.
Our current selection includes jewelry that reflects the full range of Ted’s design vocabulary:
sculptural earrings
refined necklaces and pendants
pieces that explore natural form without becoming literal
jewelry with a sense of presence, but never heaviness
Because availability shifts, we recommend browsing our collection page to see what is currently in stock:
Shop Ted Muehling jewelry at BON TON goods →
A Shared Atelier History: Mikkel Brøgger in Ted’s New York Studio
For Mikkel, Ted Muehling is not simply a designer we curate. He is part of Mikkel’s own formation as a maker.
Working in Ted’s studio meant learning through:
repetition
precision
and the kind of standards that are never negotiated
It meant learning that the smallest detail is never small. That a millimeter can change the entire character of a piece. That “almost right” is not right.
This is also why BON TON’s Ted Muehling selection is different from a typical retailer’s. We are not guessing. We understand the work from the inside.
The Metal Candlesticks: Form You Live With
Ted Muehling’s practice extends beyond jewelry. His objects for the home carry the same sensibility: resolved proportion, controlled line, and an ability to make something functional feel sculptural.
Our selection includes Ted Muehling's E.R. Butler Biedermeier Candlesticks, objects that are striking in their restraint and incredibly satisfying to live with. They bring structure to a table or mantel without becoming decorative noise.
They also pair beautifully with the kind of candlelight ritual we love at BON TON, especially alongside makers like Trudon.
Explore what is currently available
Ted Muehling x Nymphenburg: Porcelain as Design
We also carry Ted Muehling’s porcelain collaboration with Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg, one of the world’s great porcelain houses.
Founded in 1747 and still producing entirely handmade porcelain in Munich, Nymphenburg is renowned for preserving centuries of technique while continuing to collaborate with contemporary designers.
Ted has worked with Nymphenburg since 1999, and the resulting pieces are extraordinary: porcelain forms that feel modern, but grounded in the discipline of traditional production.
This collaboration is not simply “Ted on porcelain.” It is the meeting of two worlds:
a New York designer known for restraint and form
and a historic European manufactory known for uncompromising handcraft
Explore the Nymphenburg collection at BON TON goods.
The Book: Ted Muehling: A Portrait by Don Freeman
For collectors and design lovers, the book Ted Muehling: A Portrait by Don Freeman offers an intimate and richly illustrated look at Ted’s life, work, and philosophy.
Published with deep respect for his practice, this volume spans decades of jewelry, objects, and thinking from one of America’s most considered makers. It is not just a catalog of work. It is a narrative about process, evolution, and the discipline that underpins all of his design.
At BON TON goods, we offer this book as part of our curated selection, and it makes an exceptional gift for:
jewelry collectors
designers and makers
students of craft and design
anyone drawn to meticulous, thoughtful making
Why Ted Muehling Belongs at BON TON goods
BON TON goods exists to celebrate makers whose work has integrity, lineage, and a point of view strong enough to outlast trends.
Ted Muehling is exactly that.
His jewelry and objects are not designed to impress quickly. They are designed to remain. They reward attention. They become part of a person’s daily life, and they do so without ever feeling dated.
For us, this is the definition of luxury.
Explore Ted Muehling at BON TON goods
Our selection is curated and limited, and we focus on what is currently available.