Boucheron “Renaissance Revival” cuff / bracelet, attributed to a design by Paul Legrand and made by Tissot, highly sculptural gold inlay, damascene steel set with an intricately agate carved cameo c. 1878
Dreicer & Co., New York, “Bishop’s” ring, elaborately detailed Gothic Revival 18K gold ring set with a large round cut “Siberian” amethyst (approx. 55 carats TW), original leather and silk velvet and satin lined box, c.1880
The firm of Dreicer & Co. was one of the top luxury jewelry retailers in America during the first quarter of the 20th century. The firm is believed to have originated as J. Dreicer & Son representing the Parisian firm A. Eknayan and displaying an extensive array of diamond jewelry during the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The emphasis on diamonds at the St. Louis exposition would characterize the firm’s production and resulting strong reputation from about 1910 through the 1920’s. Though it is not clear in what year the firm opened its boutique in New York City at 560 Fifth Avenue, the luxurious jewels in platinum and diamonds as well as pearls within were comparable with Cartier’s luxurious designs. The firm maintained a branch at the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago. Dreicer & Co. is credited as the first company to introduce in New York many of the latest diamond cuts from Paris. The shop was liquidated in 1923 following the death of Michael Dreicer, the founder’s son, in 1921. Cartier bought Dreicer’s stock of jewels for $2.5 million
Theodore B. Starr (attr.) American Art Nouveau brooch, High style openwork graphic design in 18k gold and set with two large oval cabochon emeralds and one tear drop emerald (20 carats TW) with 144 old European round cut diamonds (approx. 9 carats TW) and six small cabochon emeralds as accents, c. 1900
Joseph Kutchinsky, London (1914-2000) “Wrapped Cloth” ring in 18K yellow gold with a platinum tapered rectangular form pave set with 37 round diamonds (approx. 8 carats TW) , signed, 1973 (London gold mark small “s” for 1973) (illustrated: Christie’s Twentieth-Century Jewelry, Sally Everitt and David Lancaster (New York: Watson-Guptill Publications, 2002) p.113.
Paul Flato (attr.) “Dolores del Rio” cuff bracelet, 3 large rectangular citrines (approx. 200+ carats) and pave diamonds (approx. 9 carats TW) set in 18K yellow gold and platinum,(G.I.A. certificate) c. 1940
Provenance: Dolores del Rio
Illustrated: “The Impossible Collection of Jewelry” by Vivienne Becker(Assouline, 2015)
Ettore Sottsass / Cleto Munari Diagonal stripe and pyramid ring, 18K gold architectural with inset onyx stripes on a diagonal, inset with approx. 8 carats TW of pave diamonds, signed: Sottsass (script signature), No. 1, CM (Cleto Munari), a star 1611, VI (all in a lozenge), 750, Cleto Munari, c. 1985
Ettore Sottsass / Cleto Munari ring illustrated in Jewelry By Architects: From the Collection of Cleto Munari by Barbara Radice (Rizzoli, 1988)
Cartier (attr.) “Bombe” cocktail ring set with a emerald-cut aquamarine (approx. 6 carats TW) 26 round-cut diamonds, 18 baguette diamonds and two triangle-cut diamonds (approx. 6.5 carats TW) all in an elaborate platinum mounting with open platinum wire details, Marked: French “Mask” platinum guarantee mark for remarking old production pieces, c.1950
Seaman Schepps “Grape” cluster clip/brooch set with 9 large cabochon sapphires (approx. 85+ carats TW), 5 large cabochon emeralds (approx. 35+ carats TW) and 13 round diamonds (approx. 2 carats TW) set in a 14K yellow mounting with leaves and vines, signed Seaman Schepps and 14k, Dimensions: 2 3/4 inches long x 2 1/4 inches wide, c. 1940
***This is a closely related “Grape” cluster clip/brooch model that Seaman Schepps made on commission for the eminent socialite Doris Duke (Collection Seaman Schepps, but there is a predominance of dark blue and purple cabochon sapphires in the DD brooch as opposed to the predominance of larger and more translucent cabochon sapphires as well as cabochon emeralds in this example
Gaucherand, Paris “Fringe Turban” shaped brooch set with a large emerald cut Siberian amethyst (approx. 70 carats), 6 round cut diamonds (approx. 1.50 carats TW) and 19 cabochon turquoise all set in 18k gold, signed, c.1950
Jules Wiese (1818-1895) / Louis Wiese (son of Jules, 1852-1923) Renaissance Revival jeweled and enameled 18k gold pendant necklace set with an ancient carved carnelian cameo, table cut diamonds, rubies and an emerald, two natural pearl drops and a cabochon emerald drop with the original chain, signed, original leather box with and silk velvet and satin interior, c.1875
A goldsmith and jeweler, Louis Wiese (Berlin 1818 – Paris 1890) began his career in Berlin where he served his apprenticeship before moving to Paris to work for J.V. Morel and then more significantly with F.D. Froment-Meurice, with whom he established a close bond. Weise opened his first atelier rue Jean-Pain-Molet in 1844 and worked exclusively for Froment-Meurice, as ever a supporter of Wiese’s work, he pushed for Wiese to receive the collaborator’s medal at the Exposition of 1849. Jules Wiese eventually worked for many of the top manufacturing jewelers and went on to win a first-class medal at the 1855 Exposition and a medal of honor at the 1862 Exhibition in London. M. Magne was quoted as follows when discussing Jules Wiese in light of the 1855 Exposition, “fine goldsmith and jeweler with an already distinguished reputation which can only be enhanced by his display. The importance of his pieces and his brave experiments reveal, even in the most modest work, an awareness of art and beauty which deserves to be encouraged by the jury.” Louis, Jules’ son, took over the company in 1880, continuing the reputation for fine craftsmanship and artistry that his father had established.
Art Deco “Dome” ring in platinum set with a half-round carved natural lapis-lazuli central stone and further set with two carved green jade jewels inset on either side and 44 round cut diamonds, c.1930’s
Mitzi Otten-Friedmann / Wiener Werkstaette reverse painted glass and silver brooch, signed c. 1915
MITZI OTTEN-FRIEDMANN (1884-1955) Austria
WIENER WERKSTÄTTE (1903-1932)
Brooch c. 1915
Reverse-painted glass depicting a couple set in a silver frame / back
Marks: M. OTTEN-FRIEDMANN on the front (right), the reverse stamped: WW, Vienna assay mark for 900 silver
D: 2 3/8”
Rosalia Marie Friedmann-Otten (“Mitzi”) * November 28, 1884 Vienna, † May 5, 1955 New York, NY
Student at the School of Applied Arts in Vienna (with Oskar Strnad), Friedmann-Otten participated in numerous exhibitions (including art shows in 1908, 1920; Neukunstgruppe 1909; German Women’s Art in 1925; Werkbundausstellung 1930). Member of the Austrian Werkbund, the Wiener Werkstätte and the Neukunstgruppe. One of the most versatile artists (commercial art, metalwork, jewelry, fashion, starting from 1920 mainly enamel works, including large-scale email pictures), Friedmann-Otten had to flee in 1938 to the United States.
Paul Follot for La Maison Moderne, Art Nouveau waist clasp, silver and chrysoprase, signed c. 1900
PAUL FOLLOT Paris, France
LA MAISON MODERNE Paris, France
Art Nouveau waist clasp c.1900
Gilt silver with chased whiplash design set with 19 cabochons of chrysoprase.
Marks: P. FOLLOT, French swan mark (silver standard mark for small objects)
Illustrated: Documents sur l’Art Industriel au XXe Siecle (Paris: Edition de la Moderne) p. 20, plate 5, n. 53-11
PAUL FOLLOT (1877-1941) French
In the Late 1890’s, Follot studied under graphic designer Eugène Grasset at the Ecole Normale d’Enseignement du Dessin in Paris and later succeeded Grasset in that post. From 1901 to 1904, he designed metalwork, jewelry and textiles for La Maison Moderne, art critic Julius Meier-Graefe’s gallery in Paris. He became director of the interior design studio Pomone of the Paris department store Le Bon Marché in 1923, introducing the Art Deco style into many middle-class home.
Margaret de Patta “Abstract” brooch, silver, chrysoprase and carnelian, signed, c. 1945, Illustrated: Design 1935 – 1965, What Modern Was: Selections from the Liliane and David M. Stewart collection, 1991
MARGARET DE PATTA (1903-1964) USA
Abstract brooch c. 1945
Sterling with both a smooth finish and a textured surface in a biomorphic design set with rondels of chrysoprase and carnelian
Marks: De Patta chevron insignia, STERLING
Illustrated: Design 1935 – 1965, What Modern Was: selections from the Liliane and David M. Stewart collection ed. Martin Eidelberg, (Montreal/New York: Le Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Montréal/Harry N. Abrams, 1991), p. 100, illus. 130.
Related designs illustrated: The Jewelry of Margaret de Patta: A Retrospective Exhibition, Oakes Gallery and The Oakland Museum (Oakland, Calif.: 1979); Messengers of Modernism: American Studio Jewelry 1940-1960, ed. Martin Eidelberg, (Montreal: The Lake St. Louis Historical Society, 1996).
British “Tree Frog” brooch, silver set with green and clear paste jewels, red jewel eyes, marks c. 1895
Charles Darwin published his theory of evolution with compelling evidence in his 1859 book “On the Origin of Species” overcoming scientific rejection of earlier concepts of transmutation of specie. By the 1870s both the scientific community and much of the general public had accepted evolution as a fact and awakening the public to the diversity of life. The frog emerging from Darwin’s Pond was a symbol of the times and a favorite theme for jewelry of the era.
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