Selection – Jewellery

Selection

Jewellery

Wednesday, April 15, 3pm

On Wednesday, 15 April at 3 p.m., this jewellery sale presents a remarkable selection of pieces, showcasing the refinement and diversity of the great jewellery traditions. Renowned names such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Boucheron, Mellerio, Tiffany & Co, and Ilias Lalaounis are featured alongside exceptional workshops, including André Vassort, whose discreet craftsmanship has left its mark on the finest maisons.

Spanning from 19th-century pieces to 20th-century creations, the sale offers a true journey through the history of jewellery, from symbolic inspirations—such as stars and celestial motifs—to curiosities like the Billiken and emblematic aristocratic creations, revealing the full richness and elegance of the art of jewellery.

André Vassort: The Elegance of the Unseen

Long kept in the shadows, workshops are now recognised as the foundation of the expertise of the great jewellery houses. Active from 1955 to the 1990s, André Vassort embodies this traditional craftsmanship at its finest, combining a masterful command of gold textures with a meticulous selection of precious stones.

His talent was sought after by the most prestigious maisons: Van Cleef & Arpels — for which he contributed, among other works, to the magnificent crown of Empress Farah Diba — Boucheron, with creations blending rock crystal and precious stones, Mauboussin, and Cartier from the very beginning of his career.

Finally, Mr Gérard remained faithful to this workshop for twenty years, illustrating the discreet yet undeniable prestige of French craftsmanship, a true embodiment of high jewellery.

The Billiken – “An Anglo-Saxon Deity of Happiness”

Now a highly sought-after good-luck charm, the Billiken was created in 1908 from the imagination of Florence Pretz, an art teacher who dreamt of its curious, benevolent figure. Its name is thought to reference the nickname of U.S. President William Howard Taft, known as “Billy”.

Following the immediate success of the statuette, Pierre Cartier offered a luxurious interpretation, carving the figure from precious materials such as agate and sometimes engraving it with the word “happiness”. From this adaptation emerged a variety of refined objects, including vide-poches — such as the present example — as well as paperweights.

Highly prized by the elites of the early 20th century, the Billiken notably appealed to Prince Felix Yusupov and Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII, who each acquired one around 1913. Later, H. G. Wells also received an example as a gift from the Russian writer Maxim Gorky.

Cartier developed this motif into a range of varied and sometimes spectacular creations, including large Billikens carved in rock crystal, occasionally surmounting so-called “mystery” portico clocks. The materials used reflect great refinement: jasper, agate, nephrite jade, aventurine or quartz, sometimes enhanced with diamond or ruby-set eyes, arranged in stepped forms or mounted on jade bases.

Cartier – 1925’s

Köchert, Jeweller to the Austro-Hungarian Empire

The principal reference work on the House of Köchert carefully reproduces, on page 124, a design for a five-star tiara closely related to the model presented here. It was Empress Elisabeth of Austria, more familiarly known as Sissi, who popularised the fashion for stars worn as a tiara or scattered through the hair. Her celebrated portrait by Franz Xaver Winterhalter immortalised her elegance, and she notably owned a set of diamond-set stars that is still preserved today.

Quickly adopted by the Court and European aristocracy, these stars became an essential element of feminine adornment. The House of Köchert distinguished itself through the richness and refinement of its creations, intended for a prestigious aristocratic clientele, underscoring the significance and beauty of its exceptional pieces.

Köchert (attributed to) – 1860’s

The Moon and the Stars – Celestial Symbolism

Nature has always been a source of inspiration in jewellery, yet the moon and stars bring an added symbolic dimension, evoking love and protection. From the 1850s onwards, the moon in jewellery was often referred to as the “honeymoon jewel”.

The head ornament presented here, composed of two crescent moons, recalls the goddess Diana and the forms of classical statuary, while the stars illuminate the composition with their diamonds. Old-cut stones display a particular brilliance in candlelight, revealing the full refinement of period craftsmanship.

The original case bears the double inscription of the House of Mollard-Girodias-Lecomte, likely a prestigious establishment, and this jewel once formed the centrepiece of a wedding trousseau belonging to a high-ranking French aristocratic family. For millennia, stars have served as guiding beacons to travellers; here, the chance union of two moons and five stars offers a compelling glimpse into the history of jewellery.

In the following century, Gabrielle Chanel would revisit these motifs in her creations of the 1930s, featuring comets, shooting stars and diamond-set celestial forms. Today, both the symbolism and the aesthetic continue to endure.

1880s – Transformable Double Crescent Moon Brooch

Jewellery

Wednesday, April 15, 3pm
Tajan, 37 rue des Mathurins, 75008 Paris

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