Spy Decoder Ring

Barbara Walter, Spy Decoder Ring, 1995, sterling silver with plastic, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Sylvia and Eric Elsesser, 2002.72.4A-E
Copied Barbara Walter, Spy Decoder Ring, 1995, sterling silver with plastic, 1 5⁄8 x 1 1⁄4 x 5⁄8 in. (4.1 x 3.2 x 1.6 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Sylvia and Eric Elsesser, 2002.72.4A-E

Artwork Details

Title
Spy Decoder Ring
Artist
Date
1995
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
1 5⁄8 x 1 1⁄4 x 5⁄8 in. (4.1 x 3.2 x 1.6 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Sylvia and Eric Elsesser
Mediums
Mediums Description
sterling silver with plastic
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure group
  • Dress — accessory — hat
  • Object — other — luggage
  • Occupation — crime — spy
Object Number
2002.72.4A-E
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2002.72.4A-E

Artwork Description

Spy Decoder Ring recalls the plastic decoder rings that once came in cereal boxes. Here the artist plays with the notion of espionage as a romantic childhood fantasy. If the author and the recipient of the encoded message have the same cipher, or code, each may translate the written text into understandable phrases. The four figures on the ring function as handles to move the alphabet around, but, dressed in business clothes, they also call to mind the spies who blend in with ordinary citizens.