18 karat gold and tourmaline tree brooch, James de Givenchy for Taffin

The leaves composed of various green colored carved tourmalines, signed Taffin, maker's marks for James de Givenchy, engraved Central Park 150th Anniversary, 1853-2003.

Very good condition with light wear and discoloration to the gold. The carved tourmalines are typically included. The color of the leaves are more green than indicated by the catalogue illustration with one leaf being a grayish purple. The Central Park Conservancy is a private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1980 that manages Central Park under a contract with the New York City Departments of Parks and Recreation. Thanks to the generosity of many individuals, corporations, foundations and the City of New York, the Conservancy has invested more that $500 million to date into the Park making it a model for urban parks worldwide. The Conservancy provides 85% of Central Park's $27 million annual operating budget and is responsible for all basic care of the Park. With 25 million visitors each year to its 843 acres, Central Park is the most frequently visited urban park in the United States. To manage the Park, Conservancy crews aerate and seed lawns; rake leaves; prune and fertilize trees; plant shrubs and flowers; maintain ball fields and playgrounds; remove graffiti; conserve monuments, bridges, and buildings; and care for waterbodies and woodlands, controlling erosion, maintaining the drainage system, and protection over 150 acres of lakes and streams from pollution, siltation, and algae.
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.

Illustrated in Lori Ettlinger Gross, Brooches: Timeless Adornment, pp. 152-153.

The Central Park Conservancy is a private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1980 that manages Central Park under a contract with the New York City Departments of Parks and Recreation.  Thanks to the generosity of many individuals, corporations, foundations and the City of New York, the Conservancy has invested more that $500 million to date into the Park making it a model for urban parks worldwide.  The Conservancy provides 85% of Central Park's $27 million annual operating budget and is responsible for all basic care of the Park.

With 25 million visitors each year to its 843 acres, Central Park is the most frequently visited urban park in the United States.  To manage the Park, Conservancy crews aerate and seed lawns; rake leaves; prune and fertilize trees; plant shrubs and flowers; maintain ball fields and playgrounds; remove graffiti; conserve monuments, bridges, and buildings; and care for waterbodies and woodlands, controlling erosion, maintaining the drainage system, and protection over 150 acres of lakes and streams from pollution, siltation, and algae.