Tennants Auctioneers
Lot 2323
Property of a LadyA Chalcedony, Sapphire and Diamond Flower Brooch, by Suzanne Belperronthe flowerhead formed with a central cluster of round brilliant cut diamonds to five blue chalcedony petals, with round brilliant cut and rectangular step cut sapphire detailing, in white rubbed over settings, to a plain polished stem with a carved blue chalcedony bead leaf motif and terminating to a step cut sapphire, total estimated diamond weight 2.35 carat approximately measures 8.1cm by 5.6cmYou can view a video of this lot HEREProvenance: Property of a Lady. Gifted to the vendor on her wedding day in 1952 by Italian Princess/Marchesa Maria Nunziante di Mignano.Accompanied by certificate of origin, numbered 230620, dated June 20th, 2023, from Olivier Baroin certifying that Groëné et Darde manufactured the brooch for Belperron, circa 1945Suzanne Belperron (1900-1983) began her career in jewellery design at the House of René Boivin in 1919, after completing her studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Besançon. She worked as a designer there throughout the 1920’s before leaving to become the chief designer at Bernard Herz in 1932. After the death of Herz, she took over the company and re-named it Herz-Belperron, and continued to lead the designs. Developing a customer base that came to include the Duchess of Windsor, Elsa Schiaparelli, Josephine Baker and Frank Sinatra, amongst many other high-profile figures, she enjoyed working with gem materials that would be regarded by many as non-precious: agate, rock crystal and chalcedony (as featured in this lot) to name a few. She is known for minimising the use of metal in her blue chalcedony designs, to accentuate the effect of the precious gems almost clinging to the sculptural chalcedony.The lapidary work sometimes required innovation to meet her designs, and Adrien Louard was responsible for much of this work. On occasion he had to create a new technique or tool in order to provide a stone that would fit the brief.She never marked her pieces and famously quipped “my style is my signature”.The brooch is in fair condition, with slight damages to the chalcedony petals and a chip to the reverse of one, there is also a mark to the stem perhaps where another leaf motif could have been present originally. It fastens with a double pin and visor catch. It is stamped with the French eagle's head and in our opinion would test as gold. It is marked with “G&D” for Groëné et Darde (see extra images) behind the pin and on the stem. They were one of Belperron’s most trusted manufacturers, this stamp dates the piece to between 1928 and 1955. The approximate qualities of the diamonds are; colour I/J/K, clarity SI2/I1/I2. Gross weight 50.0 grams. CR made 15.05.23.
