8/2/2019 Sotheby's Geneva to offer Suzanne Belperron's Jewellery Collection
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For Immediate ReleasePRESS RELEASE GENEVA
Geneva | +41 22 908 48 14 | Marie ‐Beatrice Morin | marie ‐[email protected] London | +44 (0)20 7293 6000 | Matthew Weigman | [email protected]
Simon Warren | [email protected] | Kelly Signorelli ‐Chaplin | [email protected]
Suzanne Belperron © Archives Olivier Baroin
SOTHEBY’S GENEVA TO OFFER
THE PERSONAL JEWELLERY COLLECTION OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT JEWELLERS OF THE 20 th CENTURY:
fâétÇÇx UxÄÑxÜ Geneva, 5 March 2012 ‐ SOTHEBY’S GENEVA is
pleased to announce that it will offer – in its sale of
Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels on 14 May
2012 – the jewellery collection of one of the most
important jewellery designers of the 20th
century: Suzanne Belperron (1900 ‐1983). Comprising over
60 lots, this unprecedented sale features the most
significant collection of jewels by Suzanne
Belperron in private hands. The jeweller’s personal
collection includes some of her most celebrated
designs and very intimate items which illustrate her
unique style and creative virtuosity, while also
shedding light on her life.
Speaking of the sale, David Bennett, Chairman of
Sotheby’s Jewellery Department in Europe and the
Middle East and Co‐Chairman of Sotheby’s
Switzerland , said: “Suzanne Belperron is arguably
the most talented and influential female jeweller of the 20 th century and it is a huge honour to conduct this
historic sale. We are certain that this important auction will contribute to further highlight the immense talent
of this great artist and her important contribution to jewellery” .
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Suzanne Belperron © Archives Olivier Baroin
One of the few female jewellery designers and makers of her time,
Suzanne Belperron dedicated her life to the art of jewellery, starting her
career at René Boivin in 1919. After having contributed to the success
of the “Maison Boivin”, in 1932 through her association with Bernard
Herz, she found the perfect framework within which to develop her
unique style. Her daring creations remain today of an extraordinary modernity and continue to influence contemporary jewellers.
From the 1930s to the mid ‐1970s, Suzanne Belperron never stopped
creating jewels. Her creations appeared in the most influential fashion
magazines of the time, including Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, and were
featured by major photographers such
as Cecil Beaton, George Hoyningen ‐
Huene and Horst P. Horst. Her prestigious cosmopolitan clientele consisted of
royal families, aristocrats, industrial tycoons, financial magnates, Hollywood
stars, as well as members of the intellectual and artistic elite. It was not rare
to see in Suzanne Belperron’s Parisian private salons at 59, rue Chateaudun,
the Duke and the Duchess of Windsor, Colette, Jean Cocteau, Nina Ricci,
Jeanne Lanvin, Elsa Schiaparelli or Gary Cooper.
“My style is my signature ”
Suzanne Belperron never signed her jewels, considering that their originality
made them immediately identifiable. Similarly, she never opened a boutique,
relying on the word ‐of ‐mouth of her prestigious clients and receiving them
exclusively on appointment.
The pieces that Suzanne Belperron designed for herself are emblematic of her oeuvre . They reflect her many sources of inspiration and innovative approach
to jewellery, which constitute the essence of her work. One of the most
intimate jewels of her personal collection is perhaps her engagement ring . Created in 1923 , this Yin and
Yang ring in hammered 22 ‐carat gold is set with an old ‐mine diamond offered for the occasion by her
future husband, Jean Belperron. Testament to the artist’s early fascination for the African civilisation and
craftsmanship, this ring in 22 carat yellow gold ‐ a warm and intense gold that she called “or vierge”
(“virgin gold”) – was made through the technique of “martelage” (“hammering”). The design of this ring has inspired many other signature pieces in virgin gold by Suzanne Belperron during her career (est.
$12,000 ‐18,000, illustrated above).
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Suzanne Belperron © Archives Olivier Baroin
Suzanne Belperron introduced
unprecedented combinations of stones
and minerals in her designs, creating
pieces with exceptional contrasts.
Her creations often combine diamonds and hardstones, as seen in a carved rock crystal ring
inset with a large navette diamond (est. $50,000 ‐
80,000, illustrated right and above) and an iconic
brooch in similar materials and design of
descending scrolls that she was often photographed
wearing (est. $50,000 ‐80,000, illustrated p.2 and
right).
Suzanne Belperron was very fond of pearls, which she used in some of her
finest pieces. In circa 1935, she designed a ring mounted in platinum and
white gold, composed of multi ‐coloured natural pearls, as well as old ‐mine
and baguette diamonds (est. $30,000 ‐40,000, illustrated left).
Other examples of Suzanne Belperron’s innovative aesthetic are to be
found in a white agate Nuage (cloud) ring, set with two triangular
diamonds (est. $20,000 ‐30,000, illustrated left) and a bracelet mounted in
palladium and platinum set with old ‐mine
diamonds (est. $40,000 ‐60,000, illustrated
right).
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A Fleur brooch in yellow gold, set with a cushion ‐shaped
yellow sapphire surrounded by yellow diamonds of different
shapes and colours shows her unique ability to play with the
colours and shades of stones, while drawing inspiration from nature (est. $40,000 ‐50,000, illustrated left).
Some of her floral designs became extremely stylised, as
exemplified by another Fleur brooch, mounted in gold and
platinum and composed of a cut ‐cornered sapphire and two oval
cabochon sapphires, enhanced with diamonds (est. $50,000 ‐
80,000, illustrated below). A photograph of the artist shows her
wearing this brooch at the end of the 1960s.
Suzanne Belperron not only created jewels and accessories for the most elegant women of her time, she also designed pieces of jewellery for gentlemen. Her personal collection contains a selection of cufflinks in precious
or semi ‐precious cabochon stones most probably created for her husband, Jean Belperron. Examples include a
pair made of square chrysoprase plaques studded with a small diamond in the middle and another featuring
square cornelian plaques adorned with cabochon emeralds (est. $8,000 ‐12,000, illustrated below).
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An Artist’s Life
Suzanne Belperron’s private collection also includes jewels
by other prestigious makers (including Fabergé and
Cartier) and pieces of an intimate nature, giving a unique
insight into her private life. Starting her career in the Paris
of the “Golden Twenties”, Suzanne Belperron evolved
among key figures of the avant ‐garde movement and the
intellectual elite of the time. Testament to her friendship to Jean Cocteau is an exquisite yellow gold
document clip offered to Suzanne Belperron by the poet and reading in his facsimile handwriting “ne pleurez
pas” (“don’t cry”) on one side and “je reviendrai” (“I will return”) on the other (est. $1,500 ‐2,000, illustrated
above).
All the jewels in this collection are featured in the monograph Suzanne Belperron by Sylvie Raulet and Olivier Baroin (Antique Collectors' Club, 2011, 352 pages).
SALE
SOTHEBY’S GENEVA Hôtel Beau ‐Rivage, 13 quai du Mont Blanc, 1201 Geneva Jewels From the Personal Collection of Suzanne Belperron
Monday 14 May 2012, 10am Magnificent Jewels & Noble Jewels, 14 & 15 May 2012
Information: +41 22 908 48 00
PUBLIC EXHIBITION
SOTHEBY’S GENEVA Hôtel Beau ‐Rivage, 11 ‐15 May 2012
11 ‐13 May (10am ‐6pm) 14 May – Selection of jewels (10am ‐6pm) 15 May – Selection of jewels (10am ‐4pm)
ALL PRESS RELEASES ARE PUBLISHED ON WWW.SOTHEBYS.COM IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
** Pre ‐sale estimates do not include buyer’s premium Vente dirigée par le Ministère de Maîtres Claude Naville et Marco Breitenmoser, Huissiers Judiciaires.