Lot 325
  • 325

18 Karat Gold, Diamond and Ruby Orchid Brooch, René Boivin, France

Estimate
80,000 - 120,000 USD
bidding is closed

Description

  • René Boivin
  • 18 karat gold, diamond, ruby, brooch
The slightly articulated sculptural orchid set with round diamonds weighing approximately 38.00 carats, accented by round and calibré-cut rubies, signed René Boivin, maker's mark, French assay marks.

Condition

Set with 569 round diamonds approximately E-G color and VVS-VS clarity and 31 round and 62 calibré-cut rubies of rich medium red color and good clarity. With British import marks dating 1992, and signed G&Co. Also with French assay marks and signature Rene Boivin and maker's mark for Boivin. In good condition. The petals of the orchid are flexibly attached to the center.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion. Illustrations in the catalogue may not be actual size. Prospective purchasers are reminded that, unless the catalogue description specifically states that a stone is natural, we have assumed that some form of treatment may have been used and that such treatment may not be permanent. Our presale estimates reflect this assumption.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

The prototype of this orchid brooch made in 1938 for Daisy Fellowes is illustrated in René Boivin: Jeweller, by Françoise Cailles, p. 224 which was owned by Daisy Fellowes.

The orchid brooch offered here is a one-of-a-kind replica of the extraordinary diamond and ruby orchid brooch made by the House of Boivin for Mrs. Daisy Fellowes in 1938. Mrs. Fellowes is shown wearing this brooch in the Cecil Beaton photograph illustrated here.

René Boivin was an avid botanist so it is not surprising that flower brooches figure prominently in the House of Boivin's repertoire. Although he died in 1917, the company continued and flourished under the direction of his wife, Jeanne, the daughter of the noted couturier Paul Poiret. Madame Boivin, widely considered the first woman to rise to prominence in the jewelry industry, produced jewels that were both strikingly modern and timeless. She was aided in her endeavors by three other outstanding designers – her daughter, Germaine Boivin, Juliette Moutard, who continued and expanded the firm's floral creations, and Suzanne Vuillerme, later to become famous in her own right as Suzanne Belperron.

According to Françoise Cailles in the book René Boivin Jeweller, Boivin's three most famous floral creations were the orchid, the foxglove and the flower cluster known as an umbel. René Boivin created his first orchid brooch as early as 1905 but the firm did not stop there. By the mid 1930s the exotic blossom had taken on imposing proportions and unprecedented movement. Specific designs and the stones that were chosen varied from model to model so that no two orchids were exactly alike. Many years later, after the firm was turned over to Jacques Bernard, it was still not unusual for clients to reorder popular designs from the past, such as this orchid brooch, which has yet to become outdated.  Beloved by founder René Boivin as well as by his powerhouse of designers thereafter, the jeweled orchid brooch has remained emblematic of the House of Boivin throughout its long and distinguished history.