This 314-piece catalogue was published to accompany a loan exhibition held in June at Wartski’s to coincide with the publication of the Vever translation by Katherine Purcell, a director of Wartski.
The catalogue of the jewelled arts includes a number of Napoleonic pieces, including the ruby and diamond set spray-set laurel spray by the court jeweller Lemoine for the Empress Josephine, and a dazzling diamond-set rose brooch belonging to the Princess Mathilde. Falize’s cloisonné enamelled jewellery showing motifs drawn from Hokusai’s prints, together with representations of insects and all manner of botanical subjects, are all here.
Item 20, Mellerio’s gold brooch in the form of a slightly curled peacock feather with the eye centred by a cabochon sapphire and surrounded by emeralds, is poetry on a pin. Another good jewellery reference.
French Jewellery of the 19th Century
French Jewellery of the 19th Century, published by Wartski, 14 Grafton Street, London W1. £5 in aid of Befrienders International.
