At the "Jewels" auction, Aguttes will offer 21 pieces of fine jewelry from a private collection on July 6, 2023, in Neuilly-sur-Seine. This collection of original pieces showcases a 40-year creative journey between Europe and the United States, demonstrating the keen eye, confidence, and unique taste of an Italian collector.
21 pieces of Haute Joaillerie. Boldness and elegance from an Italian collector
Upon discovering these 21 creations, jewelry expert Philippine Dupré la Tour immediately noticed that the collection was both coherent and unique. The Italian collector, with her excellent taste, set her sights on colorful works from different eras. Unlike many connoisseurs, she boldly and elegantly didn't limit herself to one or two designers; the collection brings together jewelry from the greatest among them... Bulgari, Mauboussin, David Webb, Cartier, Codognato, Van Cleef & Arpels and Sterlé.
Carefully selected over the decades, these distinctive pieces reveal their owner's bold personality, combining craftsmanship and individuality. Some pieces also stand out for their monumental scale. You'll be surprised as you move from one creation to the next. Each of these pieces is imbued with emotion and history, showcasing the fine jewelry house's style and its influences from the 1930s to the 1970s.
A collection perfectly expresses a personality, and we understand what motivates the choices of those who created it. 21 Haute Joaillerie creations. Boldness and elegance from an Italian collector tells us about her favorites and her travels, in a world where jewelry is part of the clothing and life of each owner.
21 jewelry works from 1930 to 1970… Anthology
Trabert & Hoeffer Mauboussin, dual provenance has become rare
On July 6, 2023, Aguttes will auction a bracelet reproduced on the wrist of the model in Horst's illustration. In December 1938, Vogue magazine aptly mentioned "Trabert & Hoeffer – Mauboussin." A Mauboussin Certificate of Authenticity, issued by Marguerite de Cerval, accompanies this jewel set with rubies and diamonds and engraved Reflection.
The bracelet, also from this collection Reflection, was made for the actress Paulette Goddard, composed of emeralds and diamonds, reproduced in the book "Mauboussin" (Editions du Regard, 1992, p. 141). Her husband, Charlie Chaplin, gave the actress the jewel to respond to her disappointment at not having been chosen as the lead actress in the film Gone with the wind.
Trabert & Hoeffer Mauboussin is a rare dual provenance, showing New York and the interwar period. In New York in 1924, Mauboussin won the Grand Prix de la French Exhibition, an American contribution that led to the opening of his first store on Park Avenue. A branch in Florida and a second store in New York soon opened, but the 1929 crisis interrupted this expansion. In March 1936, the New York Times announces Mauboussin's association with the American firm Trabert & Hoeffer, which will continue until 1953. The latter, jeweler to the stars, has loyal clients such as Ingrid Bergman, Paulette Goddard and Audrey Hepburn, he relies on a very established reputation. Vogue magazine launches that summer the first Trabert & Hoeffer – Mauboussin Inc. advertising campaign, as well as the successful concept Reflection. It thus adapts to the means and preferences of its customers. Trabert & Hoeffer – Mauboussin, adaptable and creative, defines this collection as " the perfect way to express your individuality in jewelry […] and our current collection is the largest in our history, sure to please all tastes ».
Codognato jewelry for Gabrielle Chanel
Codognato is a renowned Venetian jewelry house founded in 1866, known for its bold and surreal creations, which have been worn by celebrities such as the Duchess of Windsor and members of the Italian royal family.
In 1920, Gabrielle Chanel went to Venice with her friends hard to console herself after the unexpected death of her great love, Boy Capel. The designer must have discovered the Codognato fashion house on this occasion. Moretto-style brooches, very popular at the time, generally used colored gemstones combined with enamel, depicting a dreamlike Orient. Apparently trying to follow the trend, Gabrielle Chanel commissioned one of Codognato's brooches. A period document from the Venetian house proves that this important clip was made for the designer. Set with a large emerald of over 180 carats, diamonds, ebony, and amber, this spectacular jewel complements the fashion designer's bold innovations.
"Fashion goes out of fashion, style never does" according to Coco Chanel
A loyal customer, she purchased numerous pieces of jewelry for her personal collection until the 50s, including the famous strings of pearls that we know today, a very pale jade necklace purchased from Maison Codognato.
BUlgari, innovative and timeless
Founded in 1884, the Italian brand Bulgari is known for its innovative and timeless pieces. Since the 1960s, it has used cabochon-cut gemstones in many of its creations, as evidenced by this ribbon necklace, created in the 1970s.
Smooth domes of colored stones, juxtaposed with diamonds, give Bulgari creations a distinct personality and a singular aesthetic. The hexagonal section sometimes imitates the scales of a snake, notably for pieces Serpenti which can undulate like the reptiles they represent, and sometimes the honeycomb cells which give great flexibility to the jewels.
David Webb also called the “Fabergé of the 20e century
American jeweler David Webb (1925-1975) made his mark on jewelry in the 1960s, beginning his career as an apprentice to a jeweler in New York before opening his own boutique in Manhattan in 1948. His bold, avant-garde designs stood out from the traditional styles of the time and quickly gained notoriety.
A master of the technique of enameling, which involves coating metal surfaces with layers of molten glass to create vibrant patterns and colors, he was nicknamed the "Fabergé of the 20th century."e century" by fashion editor Diana Vreeland. This incredible comparison highlights David Webb's artistic and technical prowess as a jewelry designer.
Notable and loyal clients include the Duchess of Windsor, actress Elizabeth Taylor, and U.S. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who invited the jeweler to the White House to create diplomatic gifts.
David Webb's jewelry is characterized by vibrant colors that stand out thanks to enamel and a wide variety of precious and semi-precious stones such as sapphires, emeralds, rubies, tourmalines, and even amethysts and citrines. He loved creating stunning, unique, and playful pieces.
As this bracelet attests, Hippopotamus ", his jewelry is often inspired by nature, flowers, shells, and especially surprising animals. David Webb's creations are bold and simple, like this hippopotamus, they are never too complicated or overloaded, while remaining both modern and timeless.
Several of the models he created are still very famous today: the Twin Frog Bracelet appearing in the auction of the Duchess of Windsor's estate, the Zebra Bracelet by Diana Vreeland, in white and black enamel, and gold bracelets with the repoussé technique, sometimes depicting a crocodile, a leopard, or a hippopotamus. In addition to this jungle of jewels, there is a troop of mischievous monkeys in clip or brooches, and many other kinds of beasts. A bracelet Twin Frog and a set of mischievous monkeys also appear in the Aguttes catalog of July 6, 2023.
Visitor information
Aguttes – 164 bis avenue Charles-de-Gaulle – Neuilly-sur-Seine
Public auction " Jewelry ", July 6, 2023 at 14:30 p.m. / Exhibition by appointment until Monday, July 3 (+33 (0)1 41 92 06 47) / Public exhibition : Tuesday July 4 and Wednesday July 5: 10 a.m. – 18 p.m. and Thursday July 6: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
André Tirlet
