Madame Berlioz and Monsieur Leroy, Paris (Place Vendome, 19 Rue de la Paix active 1920’s through the 1940’s) “Camellia” brooch, black and coral enameled 18k gold further set with diamond pave furled leaf edges set in platinum with a large red coral central cabochon, signed, c.1920’s
Suzanne Belperron / Groene et Darde Paris, Pair of multi stone rings, five oval cut citrines and five oval cut amethysts all set in 18K gold further set with platinum mounted diamonds, signed, c. 1940’s / early 1950’s
Hermes, Paris, designed by Jean Paul Gaultier (born 1952) as a Special Order 18k yellow gold large scale multiple link bracelet, signed: HERMES, AU, 750, no.084171, “S” (special order), CO and a lion head touchmark all in a diamond cartouche (likely the maker’s mark of Claude Ovalde, 7 rue des Gravilliers, 75003, Paris), French Eagle’s head touch mark for 18k gold, early 2000’s
Mauboussin, Paris extremely flexible bracelet set with demantoid garnets (285 count, approximately 20 carats total weight) and diamonds (114 count approximately 8 carats total weight) all set in 18K gold hexagon shaped individual bezels and clasp, signed: Mauboussin maker’s mark (2x), 750 (18K gold mark), French Eagle’s head mark for 18K gold, c. 1950
Van Cleef & Arpels, Paris, “Etruscan Revival” theme bird brooch in 18k gold set with 7 rubies (approx. 0.80 carats TW) and 15 emeralds (approx. 0.40 carats TW), signed: VCA, France, C in a circle (copyright mark), no. 1K84.1, French Eagle’s head mark for 18k gold, c. 1940’s
Madame Berlioz and Monsieur Leroy, Paris (Place Vendome, 19 Rue de la Paix active 1920’s through the 1940’s) Art Deco “Pennanular” brooch, onyx and black and enameled 18k gold further set with 53 diamonds in arcing details set in platinum with three ovoid Persian turquoise cabochons, signed, c.1920’s
Rene Boivin, Paris, “Art Moderne” ring set with an oval sapphire (approx. 2+ carats TW) and further set with 22 tapered and full sapphire baguettes (approx. 3 carats TW) and 18 round cut diamonds (approx. 2+ carats TW) all set in a streamlined and contoured platinum mount, signed, certificate, c.1930’s
Cartier, Paris “Elephant” Maillon Panthere bracelet in 18k gold and set with 200 round cut diamonds (approx. 10 carats TW) and three round cut emeralds for the eyes, signed: Cartier (script signature), no. 641403, 750, French Eagle’s head assay mark for 18k gold (3x), maker’s mark in a diamond cartouche, c.1980’s
Pierre Sterlé Paris, “Hummingbird” brooch, carved natural ruby in zoisite mounted in 18K gold set with diamonds set in platinum, original suede box, signed, c. 1950’s
Brassai / Paul Morand “Paris de Nuit” (Paris After Dark) 1933
Brassaï (1899-1984) Austria-Hungary [now Romania]
Paul Morand (1888-1976) France
“Paris de Nuit” (Paris After Dark) 1933
Published by Arts et métiers graphiques, Paris
Dimensions:
Book: H: 9 13/16” x W: 7 9/16”
Custom leather box: H: 10 5/8” x W: 8 5/8” x D: 1 3/8”
Custom silk slipcase: H: 11 21/32” x W: 9 5/8” x D: 2 7/16”
Brassaï is the pseudonym of Guyla Halász from Transylvania (Hungarian at the time of his birth, but currently part of Romania). Brassaï literally means: from Brasso (his native village). He decided to use this pseudonym in 1932, the year in which Paris de nuit was published. He had already been living in Paris for eight years, where he wrote articles for German magazines and met photographers such as Atget and André Kertész. Not until 1930 did he first begin to take photographs himself, immediately discovering his main subject: Paris.
He moved into an apartment on the corner of the Rue de la Glacière and the Boulevard Auguste-Blanqui in 1928, where Raymond Queneau also lived. He would go out at night with Queneau or other nocturnal people such as Léon-Paul Fargue, but Brassaï usually just walked through the abandoned streets and alleys of the city. He could only take 24 photographs per walk because the stack of glass photo plates would otherwise grow too heavy.
His nocturnal journeys yielded a wealth of photographs, which by now have gained the status of icons of modern photography. They were first published on 2 December 1932 by Arts et metiers graphiques, which was Charles Peignot’s publishing business. He was also the founder of the magazine Arts et metiers graphiques (1927-1939) in which articles on design, typography, illustration and advertising appeared. It was printed in an edition of 4000 copies: there were also printers associated with the editing staff, like Léon Pichon. Peignot was the president of type foundry Deberny et Peignot, and were in contact with the Union des Artistes Modernes (Cocteau, Gide, Sonia Delaunay, Maximilien Vox and others) and with poster designers such as Cassandre.
The first review of Paris de nuit was published in a Dutch newspaper, the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant of 29 December 1932. An English edition of the photo book appeared in 1933 from Batsford Gallery in London. The photographs were also exhibited. Many photo books were to follow, including a book in 1960 about the graffiti on Parisian walls, which he had documented in his photographs since 1930. Not without reason did Henry Miller call him ‘the eye of Paris’. Jean Paulhan actually asserted that Brassaï had more than two eyes.
Raymond Templier, Paris (1891-1968) Extraordinary and important “Modernist” brooch in in a strong overlapping geometric design in platinum and set with dramatic European-cut diamonds (approx. 13 carats TW), signed: Raymond Templier, French Dog’s head assay mark for platinum, illustrated in the monograph on Raymond Templier (see image below), original signed with gold embossing on the interior of the brown suede presentation box, c. 1935
Ettore Sottsass / Walter de Mario, 18K gold architectural ring, signed, 1964
ETTORE SOTTSASS Italy
WALTER DE MARIO (maker) Italy
Architecural ring 1964
18K gold
Signed: ES1, 750, Walter de Mario touch mark
Illustrated: Ettore Sottsass, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, 1994, p. 65
Exhibited: Ettore Sottsass, Centre Pompidou, Paris, April 27-September 5, 1994; Barbara Radice, Ettore Sottsass: A Critical Biography, New York, 1993 p. 144-145 (for related drawings)
Tiffany & Co., Paris, / Georland, Paris, (Georges Richard and Roland Bouder) solid squared block of lapis lazuli in the shape of a ring and mounted in all eight corners and on the interior of the ring hole in 18k yellow gold, signed: Tiffany France 18k, Ste and a G with a Cornucopia between in a diamond poincon (maker’s mark for Georland), French Eagle’s head assay mark for 18k gold, pre-1952 (when Tiffany & Co. closed their Paris store)
Auger & Gueret (Alphonse Auger et Antoine Gueret) , Paris, “Grasshopper” brooch in finely detailed 18K gold, enamel and rose cut diamonds, original leather box, signed, c. 1895
Barrey, Paris, Art Deco “Wheat” clip brooch in 18k gold with fine details of a sheath of wheat, marked: JJB in a diamond poincon (maker’s mark of barrey, 18 rue du mail 75002, Paris), French Eagle’s head mark for 18k gold (2x), c. 1938
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
Cartier, Paris “Snake” necklace in finely detailed 18k gold and with a slightly expandable link feature, signed: Cartier Paris (script signature), no. 02694, French Eagle’s head touchmark for 18K gold (2x), Cartier touchmark in a diamond, original Cartier red leather, velvet and silk presentation box, c.1940
Giacinto Melillo (attr.) Italian Ancient Revival Medallion 18K gold pendant earrings with white and black enamel and central face motifs, hanging floral details, retailed in Paris, marked, c. 1880
Cartier Paris 18K gold “Knot” bangle bracelet, signed: Cartier (script signature) Cartier touch mark, French Eagle’s head touch mark for 18K gold (2x), c. 1960’s
Lacloche Freres, Paris (attr.) Tutti Frutti “Bouquet of Flowers” ring set with two Mughal carved sapphire flower/leaf shaped jewels and further set with a matching cabochon sapphire, 11 baguette diamonds, 22 round cut diamonds and two golden hued pearls all in a very intricately detailed platinum mount, c.1920’s
Cartier Paris “Heart” ring, 18K gold set with 45 round diamonds (approx. 2.5 carats TW), signed: Cartier Paris, 291746, 750, 49 (ring size), French eagle’s head mark for 18K gold, c. 1980’s
Paul Brandt, Paris Art Deco “Zig Zag” cigarette case in sterling with champlevé black enamel zig zags on both sides of the case, signed: S A M initials in a triangle French maker’s poincon, French Boar’s head Paris silver assay mark for small objects (2x), London import mark with a London Zodiac sign of Leo (3x), .925 (silver standard) (4x) and the London letter M date mark for 1927 (3x), no. 18347 (2x), British touchmark of a G and an F in a rectangle, C.B.F initials and the date 7-1928 (script engraving), c.1925
Max Cartier, Paris (born 1935, Film Director, Sculptor) 18K yellow and white gold signature “wrapped” bass or cello sculptural brooch. Signed: Max Cartier (script signature) on lower front right, French maker’s mark with an A L in a diamond poincon, French mark with a M C in a diamond poincon for Max Cartier (2x), French Eagle’s head touch mark for 18k gold (2x), c.1980
GALERIE CARREFOUR 141 Boulevard Raspail, Paris Vérité Collection Wood block print poster, ARTS PRIMITIFS, CARREFOUR, 141 BD RASPAIL, DAN 5803 c. 1948
GALERIE CARREFOUR 141Boulevard Raspail, Paris
Vérité Collection Wood block print poster “ARTS PRIMITIFS, CARREFOUR, 141 BD RASPAIL, DAN 5803″ c. 1948
Float mounted in a finely contoured oak frame.
Inscribed to: A Monsieur E Mme Breton, Vérité Image dimension:
H: 19 1/2″ x W: 12 3/4″
Framed dimension: H: 26 3/4″ x W: 19 3/4”
Price: $9,000
The Vérité Collection of primitive arts started after World War 1 in 1920. Pierre Vérité, a young artist started buying primitive art before anyone else. Vérité opened a small store selling exclusively tribal art in 1931 in conjunction with the Paris Colonial Exposition. Pierre Vérité regarded “primitive arts” as art, and it is the raw power of these primitive pieces that changed the history of 20th-century European culture. In 1936, he opened the Galerie Carrefour on the Boulevard Raspail, which was a hangout for artists and collectors such as Pablo Picasso, Helena Rubenstein, Nancy Cunard and Andre Breton. Tribal art was one of the key influences on Pablo Picasso and he often dropped into Pierre Vérité’s Galerie Carrefour in Paris to buy masks and carvings from Africa and Oceania. Henri Matisse was also a regular visitor, as were other artists such as Fernand Léger and Maurice de Vlaminck, while Vérité used to browse Parisian flea markets with André Breton, Surrealism’s chief theorist. In the decades that followed the opening of the gallery, the Vérité family’s client list grew to include Hollywood stars and leading museum curators, as well as some of the greatest names in 20th-century art. Vérité very quickly became the most important art dealer for primitive arts. In the 1948, Pierre’s son Claude became increasingly involved in the gallery. He went on African expeditions, collecting objects and information, and took photographs to document his travels, while his wife Jeannine was running the gallery operations. With Claude and Jeannine joining the gallery, Galerie Carrefour showed at all “Art Primitifs” exhibitions in Europe and the United States. The gallery established itself as the most important player in tribal arts in the world and exhibited until the 1990’s.
Mellerio Paris Rare French Art Deco “Gyroscope” sterling cigarette box c.1930
MELLERIO PARIS Italy/ France
Gyroscope cigarette box c.1930
French silver (950 silver standard) in a structural form of a gyroscope with a lever for an interior lifting mechanism, gilding
Marks: Mellerio Paris, 3776 D, head of Minerva French guarantee mark for 950/1000
H: 5 1/4″ x Dia: 4 1/4″
The renowned Mellerio family and their jewelry can be traced back to Lombardy, Italy as early as the 16th century. Some family members moved to Paris and became royal jewelers for Louis XIII. The revolutions of 1789 and 1848 interrupted their business and they moved to Madrid where they became the jewelers favored by Queen Isabel II. Later in the 19th century they returned to Paris where once again they prospered and participated in several international expositions including London (1862), Paris (1867, 1878 and 1900), and Vienna (1873). In the 20th century they exhibited at the renowned Paris 1925 Exposition des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and then in New York at the 1939 World’s Fair.
Signed: Paris 1927, A.Kertesz, Page 150 (in pencil on back); ANDRÈ KÈRTESZ (stamped on back).
Framed size: H: 16 5/8” x W: 17 13/16”
Throughout most of his career, Kertész was depicted as the “unknown soldier” who worked behind the scenes of photography, yet was rarely cited for his work, even into his death in the 1980s. His work itself is often described as predominantly utilizing light and even Kertész himself said that “I write with light”. He was never considered to “comment” on his subjects, but rather capture them – this is often cited as why his work is often overlooked; he stuck to no political agenda and offered no deeper thought to his photographs other than the simplicity of life. With his art’s intimate feeling and nostalgic tone, Kertész’s images alluded to a sense of timelessness that was inevitably only recognized after his death. Unlike other photographers, Kertész’s work gave an insight into his life, showing a chronological order of where he spent his time; for example, many of his French photographs were from cafés where he spent the majority of his time waiting for artistic inspiration. Although Kertész rarely received bad reviews, it was the lack of them that lead to the photographer feeling distant from recognition. Now however, he is often considered to be the father of photojournalism. Even other photographs cite Kertész and his photographs as being inspirational; Henri Cartier-Bresson once said of him in the early 1930s, “We all owe him a great deal”.
Signed: B. SPADE, DECORATEUR, PARIS (metal plaque)
H: 17 5/8″ x W: 31 5/8″ x D: 18″
After WWI, Marseilles-native Batistin Spade started a workshop for cabinetry and textile design. During the years between the wars he gained recognition for his refined and sumptuous furniture and interiors. The designer worked on some 30 ocean liners, including the Île de France (1926) and the Normandie (1935). In the early 40s, Mobilier National chose Spade to create office interiors for numerous ambassadors and government officials.
@hd_jewels