DIAMOND PENDANT HAIR ORNAMENT, BAPST,
CIRCA 1860
Designed as a brooch composed of a cluster of three
leaves pavé-set with diamonds, framed by larger
stones representing berries, supporting three cascading
strands of articulated links of similar foliate design,
terminating in graduated fringes, mounted in silver
and gold, length approximately 7 ¾ inches, indistinct
maker's mark, assay marks, fringes detachable. With
tooled red leather fitted box .
The present hair ornament was formerly one of the French
Crown Jewels, designed by the Parisian firm of Bapst
for the Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, during
the Second Empire. In May of 1887, after the Fall of
the Second Empire, the French Ministry of Finance ordered
the Crown Jewels to be sold at auction. The elegant
jewel was described as a “Pendant Hair Ornament”
set with 477 brilliant diamonds weighing 66.85 metric
carats. It is illustrated in the engravings of the catalogue
of the Crown Jewels sale in 1887, as no. 8. According
to the present owner, this jewel has been in his family
collection since the early 1900’s.
The style of the brooch reflects the popular taste for
jewels in the naturalistic style, which lasted throughout
the nineteenth century. Artists and jewelers inspired
by the Romantic movement spoke in a “language of
flowers” through the use of plant and floral motifs
which often times conveyed a secret message of love
or affection. We might assume that the leaves in the
Pendant Hair Ornament were intended by Maison Bapst
to be currant leaves with surrounding clusters of currant
berries; the currants relaying the message: “you
please all”. The Pendant Hair Ornament is displayed
adjacent to Bapst’s Currant Leaf Parure” in
both the 1884 exhibition of the French Crown Jewel images,
as well as the engravings in the 1887 sale catalogue
The Empress Eugenie, for whom the jewel was designed,
was the epitome of style and elegance. An avid lover
of jewelry and fashion, she was able to wear haute joaillerie
to its greatest advantage by reviving the style for
huge dresses which certainly acted as backdrops for
certain pieces. The Diamond Hair Comb should be of great
interest to both jewelry historians and collectors throughout
the world. Jewels of Royal Provenance, and particularly
those from the Sale of the French Crown Jewels in 1887
seldom appear on the market.
Sold.21 Apr 04 Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 260,000
USD
LITERATURE AND REFERENCES
Bernard Morel, The French Crown Jewels, Antwerp: Fonds
Mercator, 1988, p. 367 and p. 371, no. 8. See also p.
377, no 8 for the description.
Lord Twining, A History of the Crown
Jewels of Europe, London: B.T. Batsford Ltd., 1960,
p. 282, no. 8.
***
The french jewel-collection:
THe Hair Jewel - Diamant Haar-Schmuck
der Kaiserin Eugenie
Margeriten aus Diamanten für
die Blumenliebhaberin Kaiserin Eugenie von Frankreich
|
Imperial Marguerites of Diamond for the Empress of France
Die Empire Parure
mit Mikro-Mosaiken der Kaiserin Marie-Louise The Micro-Mosaic-Parure
of Empress Marie-Louise
Source:Christie’s
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