

PROPERTY FROM A DISTINGUISHED FAMILY COLLECTION
The Tiffany Blue Book first advertised articles of platinum jewelry in 1912. Some of the earliest designs pairing moonstones with sapphires can be dated to this period when Tiffany’s workshop was headed by Julia Munson, often incorporating platinum filigree work. From 1914-1933, when Meta Overbeck managed the department, many variations of moonstone and sapphire jewels appear, but as we see in the bracelet from the same collection (lot 50), there emerges a more geometric pattern linking the gemstones, in contrast to the organic flow of platinum curlicues as in the necklace. While made from the same materials and clearly acquired to be worn together, the two pieces reveal a subtle shift in the visual vocabulary employed by the workshop, from the curvilinear to the symmetrical—or, framed another way, from Arts & Crafts to Art Deco—over the course of a few years. Both examples exhibit one of the key hallmarks of a Tiffany designed jewel; their beauty is evident not only on the front but may also be seen in the details of the fine finish on the back. Through a combination of distinct materials, design and craftsmanship, these pieces are instantly recognizable as the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany, a true artist-jeweler.