Emerald and diamond brooch, Verdura, 1950s

Set with a cabochon emerald within a frame of cross motifs set with brilliant-cut diamonds, signed Verdura, French import mark, case stamped Verdura.

Stamped 18K and Plat for 18 carat gold and platinum, the brooch pin stamped with French import marks for 14 carat gold. Emerald measuring approximately 28 x 24 x 20mm, medium green, typical inclusions visible to naked eye, some surface reaching fissures and small chips to surface. Diamonds weighing approximately 1.20-1.50 carats, stones bright and lively. Brooch fitting secure. Slight scratches to mount consistent with wear. In very good condition. Accompanied by case stamped Verdura.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Please note that colour, clarity and weight of gemstones are statements of opinion only and not statements of fact by Sotheby's. We do not guarantee, and are not responsible for any certificate from a gemological laboratory that may accompany the property. We do not guarantee that watches are in working order. 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. Prospective buyers should also refer to refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue, in particular to the Notice regarding the treatment and condition of gemstones and to the Notice regarding import of Burmese jadeite and rubies into the US.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Arguably one of the most glamorous and romantic figures of 20^th century jewellery design, Fulco Santostefano della Cerda, Duke of Verdura and Marquis of Murata la Cerda, was born in Palermo in 1898, into a world best described in his cousin Guiseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s novel, Il Gattopardo. His rich and sophisticated aesthetic sense, derived in part from this elegant Sicilian upbringing, saw him taken on as a textile designer by Coco Chanel, introduced by his friends Linda and Cole Porter. After moving on to produce jewels for Chanel, Verdura was employed by Paul Flato in New York, where his work, ‘Verdura for Flato’, became highly sought after. He opened his own Manhattan business in 1939. Throughout his life and career Fulco was an enthusiastic and gifted socialite. His clients, collaborators and friends, often interchangeable, included some of the century’s most elegant and interesting figures, not only Chanel and Porter, but Salvador Dali, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Gianni Agnelli, The Duchess of Windsor and Daisy Fellows among many others. The wit, imagination, and intelligence which made him such a popular figure, are also the defining trait of his designs, coupled throughout with a very modern fondness for organic forms. This brooch, of ray design, a form used a number of times through the middle of the century, stems from a high point of Fulco’s career, the same period in which he finally opened his own European office in Paris.