An exceptional Boucheron brooch at auction.
During the sale of the 11th and 12th of December at Espace Tajan, the Jewellery department will be pleased to propose a prestigious lilac brooch (1888-1889) by Frédéric Boucheron. This exceptional piece, directly coming from the descendants of Countess Anna de Grenaud, was offered to her for her wedding in 1889.
Ferdinand of Bulgaria for the the Countess Anna Alexandrova de Grenaud de Saint-Christophe.
This brooch was crafted in 1889 for a very special occasion. King Ferdinand of Bulgaria gave it to the young Countess Anna de Grenaud Saint Christophe on the day of her wedding with Dimitri Stancioff, Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of the Kingdom. His titles are described as follows, “Gentleman of the House and Head of Secret Cabinet of His Royal Highness the Prince of Bulgaria”. As the Countess wrote in her Memoires, the wedding announcement was released at a dinner hosted at the Palais-Royal, where she was a bridesmaid to Princess Clementine, mother of Ferdinand.
Anna de Grenaud Saint Christophe received this magnificent gift in token of a deep friendship. The subject of lilacs is a memento to her youth and the Castle she grew up in Upper Savoy. Monsieur de Bourboulon, Secretary of King Ferdinand, wrote in his Memoirs laudatory praises of the lilac brooch, giving us all information about this jewelery made by Frédéric Boucheron. Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria generously donated the marriage dowry of his future wife Marie-Louise de Bourbon-Parme. One can mention the cost of 53,000 gold francs for the crown only. Because of his passion for jewelery and precious stones, Prince Ferdinand bond a strong friendship with Frédéric Boucheron.
It’s a privilege for us to tell the beautiful story of a French Aristocratic family. This was made possible thanks to the archives preserved with extreme care by progeny of lovely Countess Anna. Indeed, until this day, the lilac brooch has remained in the family.
Dimitri Stancioff and King Ferdinand of Bulgaria
« At last, I unwraped and exhibited the famous diamond lilac crafted for Mademoiselle de Grenaud, whose symbol was this flower. [Prince Ferdinand] was dazzled, feeling it for a long time, making it glimmer as a connoisseur and an artist. I explained to him that Boucheron put all his art in the execution of this piece and that he copied a branch of natural lilac, mounting of diamond each little corolla, one by one, in order to compose the full flower. »
Count Robert de Bourboulon in “Souvenirs de Bulgarie”