Gold, Silver, Pearl and Diamond Pendant-Brooch

Designed as an openwork fleur-de-lys, set with 30 round and button-shaped pearls measuring approximately 7.4 to 2.1 mm, further accented by numerous old mine, old European and rose-cut diamonds weighing approximately 7.50 carats, circa 1890.

Formerly from the Collection of Mrs. Potter Palmer (1849-1918), thence by descent.

In good condition. The pearls are creamy white with moderate rose and green overtones and fair to good luster. The diamonds are approximately H-K color, SI clarity overall with a few VS examples. The mounting is comprised of silver-topped gold and there are some spots where the silver has rubbed off.
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.

Please note that the pearls have not been tested for natural origin.

Through an innate elegance and fortitude, combined with a fortuitous marriage to one of the wealthiest men in America, Bertha Potter Palmer (1849-1918) ascended the ranks of society to become the celebrated Queen of Chicago. Bertha was born into a prominent Kentucky family headed by her father Henry Hamilton Honoré, a successful businessman who moved his family to Chicago as the town on the lake was poised for a period of extraordinary growth. Henry’s beautiful dark-haired daughter caught the eye of Potter Palmer, who was twenty-three years her senior and a seemingly confirmed bachelor, and the two married in 1870. From this point on, the fortunes of the Palmers became inextricably linked with those of Chicago. The couple was credited not only with rebuilding the city after the Great Fire of 1871 but also with transforming it from a cultural backwater into a city of international significance. 

Potter Palmer (1826-1902) gained a foothold in Chicago by founding a dry goods store on Lake Street in 1852. He was a pioneer of today’s tried-and-true retail techniques, focusing his efforts on his female clientele and instituting a policy of satisfaction guaranteed. His business was far larger and more distinctive than those of his competitors, and he was considered to be one of the most trustworthy men in the business. It is therefore no surprise that after the Great Fire, he was able to secure a loan of $1.7 million, the largest amount ever lent to a private individual, to rebuild his properties. When a downturn in his health required a change in lifestyle, he brought on Marshall Field and Levi Leiter as partners, thus forming a company that eventually developed into the famous department store chain, Marshall Field and Company.

Palmer removed himself from the retail business entirely in 1867, directing his attention toward real estate. He erected several buildings along State Street including the famous Palmer House Hotel, its luxury having been hitherto unknown in Chicago. He also developed Chicago’s northern swampland into today’s tony Lake Shore Drive. The most famous structure erected during this building boom was his private residence, the castellated Palmer Mansion, boasting an eighty-foot tall tower and a dining room designed to accommodate fifty guests.

Among Palmer Potter’s many successes, it may be said that his greatest achievement was marrying the indefatigable Bertha Honoré. In the biography “Silhouette in Diamonds,” Ishbel Ross describes Mrs. Potter Palmer as one of America’s most elegant and energetic women. As suggested by the title, her husband’s fortune allowed Bertha Palmer to indulge a passion for fine jewels, many of which were acquired by Mr. Palmer from Tiffany & Co. in Paris. She was interested primarily in diamonds and pearls and, as was the fashion of the day, she would pile on numerous pieces for more formal occasions to create an impressive display of riches. A frequently told account of her enviable opulence centers on a trans-Atlantic voyage on the S.S. Kaiser Wilhem in 1904. Alois Burgskeller of the Metropolitan Opera was in the middle of performance in one of the public rooms when Mrs. Potter Palmer entered.  Wearing a tiara set with diamonds the size of “Tokay grapes,” Mrs. Palmer was so dazzling that the tenor was forced to stop while his audience beheld the true center of attention.

As a fashion and cultural trendsetter, Mrs. Potter Palmer caused a stir when she introduced Impressionist art to Chicago, a city still wed to the more academic creations of the Barbizon school. The gallery of the Palmer Mansion was hung with paintings by Monet, Renoir, Corot and Pissarro, a collection which eventually formed the core of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Impressionist collection.

Mrs. Palmer’s predilections for luxury, however, belied a character of depth and conviction. This quality was made all the more remarkable when one considers that an interest in social injustice and politics was considered a less than desirable trait in a woman of the period. Although contemporary newspapers focused on her sumptuous appearance, she much preferred to be noted for her acute mind and good works. From a young age, Bertha Palmer lent her effective touch to a variety of humanitarian causes, particularly those furthering women’s rights, using her position at the top of Chicago society to enlist the efforts of politicians, reformers, and foreign dignitaries. Her efforts bore fruit at the Columbian Exposition of 1893 where she was the President of the Board of Lady Managers. There, she was instrumental in the creation and design of the women’s pavilion as well as in soliciting submissions from female artisans. A portrait by the Swedish painter Anders Zorn, painted at the time of the exhibition, captures the two sides of Bertha Palmer: she is shown in a frothy white gown with white gloves, pearl necklaces and a tiara, yet she holds the ivory gavel she wielded as the President of the Board. As painted by Zorn, the gavel appears more like a scepter, confirming her status as the Queen of Chicago.

Literature:

Ross, Ishbel. Silhouette in Diamonds: The Life of Mrs. Potter Palmer. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1960.