May 18, 1938 – Feb. 20, 2022

Antonio Celi was a jewelers’ jeweler. He not only created a new line of designs for rings and other items each year, but also was sought out by other jewelry makers from across the country.

“If a jeweler had a difficult piece that needed to be made, he was the one to go to,” his wife, Martha, said. “If they had a special stone which no one else could make a jewel of, he could do it.”

Mr. Celi, who came to the Buffalo area in 1980, maintained a workshop and retail store on Transit Road in Depew. He died Feb. 20 in Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Amherst, after a period of declining health. He was 83.

Born in Palermo, Sicily, the fifth of seven boys, he moved with his family to Florence, Italy, after World War II. Recognized for his artistic talents, he was apprenticed to a silversmith at a young age.

“He became very, very good and opened his own shop off the Ponte Vecchio,” his wife said. “He taught his younger brothers."

In 1970, Mr. Celi joined his brothers in Toronto, where they had opened a shop and jewelry manufacturing operation. He was quickly recognized for his designs and was featured on the cover of Canadian Jeweller magazine.

Martha Sage, a multi-media artist from Buffalo, met him in 1970 when she visited a club in Toronto with a friend from McMaster University and he asked her to dance. They were married in Las Vegas in 1973 and lived at first in the Los Angeles area, where Mr. Celi did designs for his brother Domenico’s jewelry manufacturing firm.

Relocating to Miami, Mr. Celi was based for several years in the 10-story Seybold Jewelry Building, which houses hundreds of jewelers. He and his wife returned to Buffalo in 1980 to be closer to her family. She assisted him in the business operations of his shop on Transit Road. He retired about three years ago.

His artistry also extended to music and fine arts. A piano player, he wrote music and lyrics for hundreds of compositions, including an opera, but performed them only for friends. He created numerous oil paintings and sculptures as well, but did not display them publicly.

In addition to his wife, survivors include a son, Shaun; a daughter, Leah Celi; and four brothers, Joseph, Domenico, Philip and Ugo.

A memorial visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to noon May 5 in Zurbrick-Amigone Funeral Home, 5615 Broadway, Lancaster.

https://buffalonews.com/obituaries/features/antonio-celi-83-renowned-for-his-custom-jewelry-designs/article_3ad7bf80-c4eb-11ec-a809-f7a3f31c7949.html