Top

A lady with a love for literature and shiny things discusses books & bling.

You are here: Home / Archives for Jewelry / Brooches

Two beautiful Art Nouveau brooches.

You get a twofer today, my darlings. Of killer Art Nouveau brooches. Are you ready?

This is a glorious, flower-child goddess of a brooch.

A stunning antique Art Nouveau brooch pendant designed by Georges FouquetI’m basically at a loss for words with this one. It’s almost too pretty. I can’t imagine anyone wearing it. But I really love to look at it.

This gorgeous thing is a brooch/pendant designed by Georges Fouquet in the late 19th century. It’s designed as a serene-faced lady with flowing hair and an elaborate headdress. Her face and hair are made of carved chalcedony, applied with plique-à-jour enamel and highlighted with cabochon and circular-cut rubies, circular-cut and rose diamonds, suspending a natural pearl. It can be worn as a brooch or a pendant and is signed G. Fouquet.

An Art Nouveau brooch by Vever, circa 1900. Designed as a stylized flower, set with with diamonds and one marquise-shaped tourmaline, which was added later.The lovely thing is listed as a brooch, but what really caught my interest was the fact that it has fittings for use as a hair ornament. How spectacular would this be as hair jewelry? I couldn’t possibly be more on board. I want it on my head.

This piece is the work of Vever and was created in 1900. It’s designed as a stylized fuchsia which, apparently, is actually a kind of flower and not just a brilliant shade of pink. It’s set with with circular-, single-cut and rose diamonds and one marquise-shaped tourmaline, which was added later. The auction description lists this as being hung on a chain (not pictured) even though it isn’t listed as being a pendant. How multi-functional.

These Art Nouveau brooches were both listed in Sotheby’s December 2012 The Jewellery Collection of the Late Michael Wellby: An Eclectic Eye – Jewels Spanning Four Centuries sale. Please see individual descriptions for source links.

All images and info for these Art Nouveau brooches are thanks to Sotheby’s.

Art Deco diamond and gem-set ladybug sautoir.

I’ve actually been avoiding posting this ladybug sautoir because I’m not sure how to do it justice.

Pendant detail - Art Deco diamond and gem-set ladybug sautoir. Circa 1920's. Via Diamonds in the Library.
This stunning example of Art Deco gorgousness was made sometime in the 1920’s, as you may have suspected, my jewelry sleuths.

As you can see above, this ladybug sautoir features an intricate geometric plaque set with single- and brilliant-cut diamonds, decorated with calibré-cut amethysts, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. The plaque may be detached and worn as a brooch. And, although Sotheby’s didn’t mention it in their listing, I think the central element is a diamond, ruby and sapphire ladybug. You see that too, right? I’m not nuts?

It’s a sautoir, so – as we have discused – that means it features a pendant hanging from a (usually long) chain. This is short for a sautoir; it only measures 16 inches from the clasp to the tip of the pendant. But oh, how glorious the chain is.

Art Deco diamond and gem-set ladybug sautoir. Circa 1920's. Via Diamonds in the Library.
As you can see here, that fabulous plaque is hanging from a fine chain millegrain set with rubies, diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires to match the design of the pendant. For me, this gem-set chain is what makes this a truly exceptional piece (that, and the ladybug).  I love the pendant, but it’s not particularly usual for the period – although it is remarkably colorful. The chain, though! Spectacular.

This ladybug sautoir was listed in Sotheby’s May 2011 Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels auction. All images and info are thanks to Sotheby’s.

An antique Art Deco diamond and gem-set ladybug sautoir. Circa 1920's. Via Diamonds in the Library.

Art Nouveau necklace by Louis Comfort Tiffany of Tiffany & Co.

I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of Tiffany & Co., the beloved jeweler of Holly Golightly as well as many before and after her.

I must admit, I’m not big on Tiffany’s most popular contemporary pieces: squiggly open hearts and chunky charm bracelets don’t do much for me. But I ardently admire their high jewelry and absolutely die for their older designs.

For example, this necklace by Louis Comfort Tiffany:

An Art Nouveau necklace by Louis Comfort Tiffany of Tiffany & Co., circa 1914-1927. Champlevé enamel, emeralds, and an sapphire drop.As I mentioned, this spectacular piece is the creation of none other than the great Louis Comfort Tiffany. (It’s his family’s “Co.”) And looking at this piece, it’s not hard to see how the company ended up with such renown. It’s dazzling.

The simplicity and the complexity all in one just blow me away. Look at the interaction of the colors, the shapes of the enamel elements, the repeating patterns and pops of color. And all on such a small piece: this necklace is only 16.25 inches long.

I had a dream about this necklace. A nightmare, actually. I dreamed that my parents gave this to me for my birthday (I wish) and then I lost it in my couch (horrifying). The entire dream was me searching through the couch and panicking, knowing that the necklace was gone and that it was my fault. Feel free to psychoanalyze me now.

Full view of an Art Nouveau necklace by Louis Comfort Tiffany of Tiffany & Co., circa 1914-1927. Champlevé enamel, emeralds, and sapphire drop.This piece was made between 1914 and 1927, but I’m calling it Art Nouveau because of the style. It features a double-chain of small fancy-shaped links applied with champlevé enamel in shades of blue, green and plum, spaced at intervals by cabochon emeralds. The center of the chain is decorated with a large floral link enameled in blue and green and set with cabochon sapphires, rubies, and an emerald. The center of the chain supporting an unusual blue and plum colored sapphire drop.

Even the back of the links of the necklace are enameled to match the sapphire.

Pendant detail of an Art Nouveau necklace by Louis Comfort Tiffany of Tiffany & Co., circa 1914-1927. Champlevé enamel, emeralds, and an sapphire drop.

Let’s look at that sapphire for a minute. Deep blue at the top, fading to vivid purple – almost fuchsia – by the bottom. Have you ever seen anything like this in a piece of jewelry before? I haven’t. How spectacular, that Tiffany saw the promise in this exceptional gem and created this incredible chain to compliment it. Thank you, LCT. You rock my world.

This mind-blowingly beautiful necklace by Louis Comfort Tiffany was sold in Sotheby’s December 2011 auction, Jewels from the Estate of William B. Dietrich Sold to Benefit the William B. Dietrich Foundation.

Guess what? You get a bonus today. Check out this incredible brooch, also by Louis Comfort Tiffany:

Art Nouveau opal, sapphire, garnet, and enamel brooch by Louis Comfort Tiffany for Tiffany & Co., circa 1910. Via Diamonds in the Library.This beauty was made in 1910. It centers on a black opal within a textured surround of vine leaves and fruit, decorated with blue and green enamel and accented with circular-cut sapphires and green garnets. It looks to me like the opal’s chipped, which is a shame, but it’s still a lush and memorable piece.

This brooch was listed in Sotheby’s April 2013 Jewels sale. All Images and info in this post are thanks to Sotheby’s.

 An Art Nouveau necklace by Louis Comfort Tiffany of Tiffany & Co., circa 1914-1927. Champlevé enamel, emeralds, and a remarkable sapphire drop.

Follow along with me on Instagram