The Nameplate: Jewelry, Culture, and Identity

“Names don’t just tell stories. They are stories.”—Rawiya Kameir Nameplate jewelry comes in many shapes, styles, and sizes—from simple scripted pendants to bejeweled rings, belts, and bracelets with a first, last, and/or nickname. Like so many individuals who proudly wear nameplates, Marcel Rosa-Salas and Isabel Attyah Flower were first introduced to this storied jewelry during childhood. Their love of the nameplate style gradually blossomed into a wide-reaching research project, Documenting the Nameplate, through which they’ve spent years collecting photographs and testimonials from nameplate-wearers across the country and world. Featuring essays and interviews from scholars and cultural figures, portraits by contemporary photographers, archival imagery, and a historical exploration into the multifaceted and often overlooked significance of nameplate jewelry, The Nameplate is a tribute to the people who make, wear, and cherish it.