CELEBRATING JEWELLERY

FOREWORD 7

NINETEENTH CENTURY AND EARLIER9

REVIVALISM73

THE BELLE ÉPOQUE103

THE ART DECO ERA147

THE TWENTIETH CENTURYTHE NINETEEN THIRTIES AND LATER

249

BIOGRAPHIES321

12

A VERY RARE SILVER AND DIAMONDJEWEL, RUSSIAN, FROM THECOLLECTION OF THE RUSSIANIMPERIAL FAMILY, SECOND HALF OFTHE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.

It is extremely rare for a diamond jewel of significant importance dating from the eighteenth century to have survived intact. Diamonds continued to be scarce,despite the new discoveries in Brazil, until mines were opened in South Africatowards the end of the nineteenth century. The survival of this jewel very muchdepended on its Imperial ownership, and this important provenance continued toprotect it even after the Russian revolution when it appeared at auction in Londonin 1927. Even more remarkable is the fact that it is still presented in its lateeighteenth-century red velvet and shagreen fitted case.

AN EXTREMELY RARE PERIDOT AND DIAMOND PARURE DATING FROM THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURYAND ATTRIBUTED TO KOECHERT OFVIENNA.

The sheer scale of this suite of jewellery is astonishing, and even in the opulentsurroundings of the court of Archduke Karl of Austria it would have caused asensation. Peridots of this size are extremely unusual, especially when they are offine colour, deep saturation and good purity as is the case here. These exampleswould probably have been mined either in Brazil or, more likely, the legendaryIsland of St John (or Zeberged) off the west coast of the Red Sea – the sourcementioned by Pliny and which later fell under the control of the Khedive of Egypt.This parure was made for Archduchess Henriette of Austria, née Princess of Nassau-Weilburg for her wedding in 1815.

CELEBRATING JEWELLERY

13

A MAGNIFICENT CARVED ONYXPORTRAIT CAMEO HABILLÉ OFNAPOLEON BY NICOLA MORELLICIRCA 1805, WITH DIAMOND-SETEMBELLISHMENTS AND GOLDPENDANT MOUNT OFCONTEMPORARY FRENCHMANUFACTURE.

This expresses the essence of Empireand temporal power; yet a carved lapisplaque set in the back applied with achased gold eagle holding a thunderboltin its claws is a reference to an evenhigher authority: Jupiter. The turn ofthe nineteenth century saw the highpoint of portrait cameo production,mainly as a result of the prodigioustalents of Italian gem engravers such asMorelli and Girometti. Napoleon wasparticularly fascinated by the glyptic artand opened a school in Paris modelledon that in Rome. The bulk of portraitengravings were of coursecommissioned for purposes of Statethroughout Europe, but, by the mid-nineteenth century, tourism hadbecome a major support for theindustry as well.

A GROUP OF SEVEN DIAMOND JEWELSOF HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE, CIRCA1815, SET WITH CUSHION-SHAPEDSTONES IN SILVER AND GOLD.

This unusual set of jewels that can beincorporated into a tiara were the gift of the Prince Regent, later KingGeorge IV, to his secret and illegal wifeMaria Anne Fitzherbert. The design ofbombé confronted volutes is verytypical of this precise period and canalso be found in decorative details ofcontemporary silver and furniture.

DIAMOND TIARA, ENGLISH, FIRST QUARTER OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.

This fascinating tiara from the collection of Christian Lady Hesketh celebrates theAct of Union in 1801 which united Great Britain and Ireland, in its use of theemblems of the rose, the thistle and the shamrock – for England, Scotland andIreland respectively. This important historic event for the United Kingdom inspireda number of jewels, most noticeably perhaps the pearl and diamond circlet worn byKing George IV at his coronation in 1820. This tiara also shows how jewellery ofthis period was often multi-purpose. In this case the five diamond-set motifs can be detached from the mount and worn separately as brooches.

NINETEENTH CENTURY AND EARLIER