Cartier | Emerald Doublet, Emerald and Diamond Clip, France 卡地亞 祖母綠二層石配祖母綠及鑽石別針，法國

The present carved emerald clip brooch, an elegant example from the revered period of Cartier design that produced the “Tutti Frutti” aesthetic, hails from the collection of Margaret White Shands. Born in Tennessee in 1914, Ms. White became a registered nurse and married Robert E. Shands. Dr. Robert Shands, a decorated surgeon for the Marine Corp in the Asian Pacific theatre, notably helped develop the artificial lung and was also reprimanded for providing aid not only to wounded Marines but also to enemy soldiers, for which the good Doctor was posthumously honored. Post-war, the couple relocated to Mississippi where Dr. Shands had a thriving medical career and the two enjoyed traveling the world together until his untimely passing in 1963. Embarking on a new stage in life, Ms. Shands moved to the West Coast and settled in Santa Monica, California. There she quickly became a fixture in the illustrious Hollywood crowd, enjoying close friendships with the likes of Mrs. Darryl Zanuck and Mrs. Alfred Newman amongst others. This jewel was a favorite, worn when attending the many extravagant parties and functions of the day.

#TheBroochisBack

Is the brooch back? Was it ever really out? Perhaps just waiting in the wings for a second act.



Without question, the brooch is the purist form of the jeweler’s art. It offers a totally unencumbered opportunity for expression without the constraints of fitting to a finger, wrist or neck. It affords great potential for three-dimensional renderings; if you can draw it, you can represent it in a brooch. 

In order to embrace the brooch’s full potential, one must remember that it may be worn in a wide variety of ways. No need to stick to the lapel. Empress Elisabeth of Austria dressed her legendary locks with a galaxy of diamond starbursts. Mrs. Cole Porter wore her Cartier scarab brooch as a belt buckle. Princess Ira Fürstenberg wore a series of Tiffany dragon brooches—one offered here as lot 50—draped across her bare belly on gold chains. And who can forget Sarah Jessica Parker securing her GAP cardigan with a cluster of brooches at her hip, or adorning her evening glove at the Met Ball with a line of Victorian stunners?