The Christmas sales, or more broadly, the end-of-year sales, are back, much to our delight. It is therefore with undisguised pleasure that I discover the catalogues and pieces that will light up the December 2022 auctions. On this occasion, Aguttes will be offering a small qualitative sale (100 lots), in the image of the house’s always very delicate catalogues. So I plunged into this one to select a few pieces that caught my eye and that I hope will please you as much as it did me. See you on 15 December in Neuilly to take part!
Lot 8: Silver, gold, diamonds and sapphires (unheated) transformation drapery necklace. 19th century work. Estimated at between 10,000 and 15,000 euros. Photos: Aguttes
I’ve always liked transformation pieces. It must be a kind of professional deformation acquired in jewellery-making workshops. I’ve always loved watching jewellers devise systems and find clever ways to make them discreet yet effective. I even remember once seeing a necklace where no one could find the way to open it because the system was so hidden… Quite a technical achievement when you think about it! I can’t help but like this necklace and its brooch. But who doesn’t love nineteenth-century pieces, which are sometimes a little outdated and yet so beautiful? And pieces like this were often taken from wedding baskets at a time when jewellery could be used for any social occasion: here a necklace, there the tiara, here with or without the pendant… On this piece, there must have been two pendants that could be suspended. Note the motif that evokes a bellflower, a flower with a particular symbolism whose nickname is “Venus’ mirror”. It’s a motif that speaks of charm, neglected beauty, discretion, gratitude, a way of saying “thank you for being there for me”… This necklace tells a whole story of seduction…
Lot 15: Boucheron double brooch in platinum and diamonds. Estimated at between €10,000 and €12,000. Photos: Aguttes
If you’re looking for a jewellery fashion accessory, double clips are the way to go. First appearing in the first half of the 20th century, these jewels became totally fashionable in the 1920s. According to the information I have, the first double brooch was made in 1927 by Cartier, and the idea spread to costume jewellery. Some brooches can be hung together to be worn as a single piece, and sometimes, as in our case, there are opposite brooches with an identical motif. These dress brooches, or collar brooches, let you play with fashion and have as much fun with your jewellery as you did with your clothes. These clips can be attached anywhere, sleeves, collars, shoulders… Anything is possible with this jewellery, which reflects the atmosphere of an era of renewal and relaxation after the dark hours of war. Boucheron is no exception with this very pretty model that will delight any fashion lover. I’ve got a scoop for you: it’s not just watches that suit men, brooches do too!
Lot 22: Gold, opal, diamond and enamel dragonfly brooch. Gaston Laffitte. Estimated at between €6,000 and €8,000. Photos: Aguttes
Dragonflies greatly inspired jewellers in the Art Nouveau period, and this piece is no exception. But for once, we can identify the maker, a little-known jeweller whose pieces have rarely appeared at auction, perhaps because of unfamiliarity with his hallmark. Based at 34 rue de la grande truanderie in Paris, Gaston Laffitte worked between 1896 and 1932. But the main works known about him are marked by a clearly recognisable Art Nouveau identity. I know many of his butterfly women, with their undeniable and profound sensuality. A symbol of good fortune in Asia, even of renewal, the dragonfly is associated with the feminine in jewellery. The changing, luminous wings of this insect know how to bewitch men to seduce them. Between grace and fragility, the insect questions and jewellers sublimate it.
Lot 37: “Bird on a branch” brooch in gold, diamonds and turquoise. Rolland Barrey. Estimated at between €4,000 and €6,000. Photos: Aguttes
Birds… I don’t know when I started to like them. For real, because these creatures fascinate me. Don’t think of it as the myth of Icarus, because I’m not comfortable in the air, even though I’ve always dreamt of taking my helicopter pilot’s licence. And when it comes to jewellery, it was Pierre Sterlé’s birds that taught me to love them. But in the case of this brooch, it’s as much the motif as the signature that I love. I have so many memories of the Rolland Barrey company, for which I was an apprentice more than twenty years ago. I remember going there countless times and, above all, the kindness of the Barrey couple who welcomed me every time. What’s more, he was a great jeweller, always ready to teach me something, to explain his trade and what he did… So coming across one of his pieces is a bit moving, sentimental even. And then, this beautiful brooch, 9 cm, has a crazy allure and a lot of character. So, I don’t know about you, but I’d love to wear it!
Lot 40: Gold, diamond, pearl and sapphire brooch. Estimated at between €1,500 and €2,000. Photos: Aguttes
There are gifts that tell a great story. They may be small, but they bear witness to important events that may have marked the life of a country. This brooch in gold, diamonds and fine pearls is a lovely piece of Belgian history. On 23 December 1909, Albert I became King of the Belgians and his wife Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen Consort. Memorabilia are in a class of their own on the art and jewellery markets. Collectors love and cherish them as much for their quality of execution as for the events they recount. Like this adorable, delicate brooch, decorated with the initials of the King and Queen, which has been kept by the family to this day. The royal couple were quickly appreciated by the Belgian people for their humanist and pacifist vision. They will be remembered as monarchs devoted to their country.
Lot 49: Gold bracelet by Georges Lenfant. Estimated at between €7,000 and €10,000. Photos: Aguttes
This bracelet from Aguttes tells the story of Parisian jewellery and the friendly ties between jewellery families. Designed by Lenfant, this belt bracelet is remarkable for its size and weight, weighing in at 123 grams. No mean feat for a bracelet. The granddaughter of jeweller Maurice Labarte entrusted this piece to Lenfant, and it is relatively rare for us to know the name of the seller at auction. This jeweller worked exclusively for Lenfant from the 1960s onwards, and I can only recommend Richard Jean-Jacques’ article on this family. In it, you’ll discover a colourful story of name change, but also a story of professional friendship that lasted almost until the end of the house in 2001. This piece of jewellery is what the Americans call a ‘statement piece’, in other words, a piece with a strong character that cannot be ignored. I’ve always liked strong, massive jewellery that has a strong presence on the body, and this piece ticks all the boxes!
Lot 57: Pierre Sterlé gold, diamond and enamel brooch. Estimated at between €6,000 and €8,000. Photos: Aguttes
As I mentioned Pierre Sterlé above, I’ll end this selection with him. I always like pieces from this house. It’s my guilty pleasure. I can’t help but be delighted when I see a room in his house. His work on birds has left its mark on jewellery, with his faithful rendering of feathers giving them an astonishing reality in metal. Nicknamed the “couturier of jewellery”, he left his mark on the history of Parisian jewellery, and I still remember how moved I was by the Sterlé pieces on display at the “Birds in Paradise” event at the Ecole des Arts Joailliers. Although he was an excellent jeweller, he was not a good manager, and it was Chaumet who saved the day by buying up his stock in the 1970s. He had worked almost exclusively for Chaumet since the early 1960s. He ended his life with them as a technical adviser. The harlequin on display at Aguttes is a fine testimony to the work and achievements of this great man of the trade. A must-have!
See you soon!
The Christmas sales, or more broadly, the end-of-year sales, are back, much to our delight. It is therefore with undisguised pleasure that I discover the catalogues and pieces that will light up the December 2022 auctions. On this occasion, Aguttes will be offering a small qualitative sale (100 lots), in the image of the house’s always very delicate catalogues. So I plunged into this one to select a few pieces that caught my eye and that I hope will please you as much as it did me. See you on 15 December in Neuilly to take part!
Lot 8: Silver, gold, diamonds and sapphires (unheated) transformation drapery necklace. 19th century work. Estimated at between 10,000 and 15,000 euros. Photos: Aguttes
I’ve always liked transformation pieces. It must be a kind of professional deformation acquired in jewellery-making workshops. I’ve always loved watching jewellers devise systems and find clever ways to make them discreet yet effective. I even remember once seeing a necklace where no one could find the way to open it because the system was so hidden… Quite a technical achievement when you think about it! I can’t help but like this necklace and its brooch. But who doesn’t love nineteenth-century pieces, which are sometimes a little outdated and yet so beautiful? And pieces like this were often taken from wedding baskets at a time when jewellery could be used for any social occasion: here a necklace, there the tiara, here with or without the pendant… On this piece, there must have been two pendants that could be suspended. Note the motif that evokes a bellflower, a flower with a particular symbolism whose nickname is “Venus’ mirror”. It’s a motif that speaks of charm, neglected beauty, discretion, gratitude, a way of saying “thank you for being there for me”… This necklace tells a whole story of seduction…
Lot 15: Boucheron double brooch in platinum and diamonds. Estimated at between €10,000 and €12,000. Photos: Aguttes
If you’re looking for a jewellery fashion accessory, double clips are the way to go. First appearing in the first half of the 20th century, these jewels became totally fashionable in the 1920s. According to the information I have, the first double brooch was made in 1927 by Cartier, and the idea spread to costume jewellery. Some brooches can be hung together to be worn as a single piece, and sometimes, as in our case, there are opposite brooches with an identical motif. These dress brooches, or collar brooches, made it possible to play with fashion and have as much fun with your jewellery as with your clothes. These clips can be attached anywhere, sleeves, collars, shoulders… Anything is possible with this jewellery, which reflects the atmosphere of an era of renewal and relaxation after the dark hours of war. Boucheron is no exception with this very pretty model that will delight any fashion lover. I’ve got a scoop for you: it’s not just watches that suit men, brooches do too!
Lot 22: Gold, opal, diamond and enamel dragonfly brooch. Gaston Laffitte. Estimated at between €6,000 and €8,000. Photos: Aguttes
Dragonflies greatly inspired jewellers in the Art Nouveau period, and this piece is no exception. But for once, we can identify the maker, a little-known jeweller whose pieces have rarely appeared at auction, perhaps because of unfamiliarity with his hallmark. Based at 34 rue de la grande truanderie in Paris, Gaston Laffitte worked between 1896 and 1932. But the main works known about him are marked by a clearly recognisable Art Nouveau identity. I know many of his butterfly women, with their undeniable and profound sensuality. A symbol of good fortune in Asia, even of renewal, the dragonfly is associated with the feminine in jewellery. The changing, luminous wings of this insect know how to bewitch men to seduce them. Between grace and fragility, the insect questions and jewellers sublimate it.
Lot 37: “Bird on a branch” brooch in gold, diamonds and turquoise. Rolland Barrey. Estimated at between €4,000 and €6,000. Photos: Aguttes
Birds… I don’t know when I started to like them. For real, because these creatures fascinate me. Don’t think of it as the myth of Icarus, because I’m not comfortable in the air, even though I’ve always dreamt of taking my helicopter pilot’s licence. And when it comes to jewellery, it was Pierre Sterlé’s birds that taught me to love them. But in the case of this brooch, it’s as much the motif as the signature that I love. I have so many memories of the Rolland Barrey company, for which I was an apprentice more than twenty years ago. I remember going there countless times and, above all, the kindness of the Barrey couple who welcomed me every time. What’s more, he was a great jeweller, always ready to teach me something, to explain his trade and what he did… So coming across one of his pieces is a bit moving, sentimental even. And then, this beautiful brooch, 9 cm, has a crazy allure and a lot of character. So, I don’t know about you, but I’d love to wear it!
Lot 40: Gold, diamond, pearl and sapphire brooch. Estimated at between €1,500 and €2,000. Photos: Aguttes
There are gifts that tell a great story. They may be small, but they bear witness to important events that may have marked the life of a country. This brooch in gold, diamonds and fine pearls is a lovely piece of Belgian history. On 23 December 1909, Albert I became King of the Belgians and his wife Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen Consort. Memorabilia are in a class of their own on the art and jewellery markets. Collectors love and cherish them as much for their quality of execution as for the events they recount. Like this adorable, delicate brooch, decorated with the initials of the King and Queen, which has been kept by the family to this day. The royal couple were quickly appreciated by the Belgian people for their humanist and pacifist vision. They will be remembered as monarchs devoted to their country.
Lot 49: Gold bracelet by Georges Lenfant. Estimated at between €7,000 and €10,000. Photos: Aguttes
This bracelet from Aguttes tells the story of Parisian jewellery and the friendly ties between jewellery families. Designed by Lenfant, this belt bracelet is remarkable for its size and weight, weighing in at at 123 grams. No mean feat for a bracelet. The granddaughter of jeweller Maurice Labarte entrusted this piece to Lenfant, and it is relatively rare for us to know the name of the seller at auction. This jeweller worked exclusively for Lenfant from the 1960s onwards, and I can only recommend Richard Jean-Jacques’ article on this family. In it, you’ll discover a colourful story of name change, but also a story of professional friendship that lasted almost until the end of the house in 2001. This piece of jewellery is what the Americans call a ‘statement piece’, in other words, a piece with a strong character that cannot be ignored. I’ve always liked strong, massive jewellery that has a strong presence on the body, and this piece ticks all the boxes!
Lot 57: Pierre Sterlé gold, diamond and enamel brooch. Estimated at between €6,000 and €8,000. Photos: Aguttes
As I mentioned Pierre Sterlé above, I’ll end this selection with him. I always like pieces from this house. It’s my guilty pleasure. I can’t help but be delighted when I see a room in his house. His work on birds has left its mark on jewellery, with his faithful rendering of feathers giving them an astonishing reality in metal. Nicknamed the “couturier of jewellery”, he left his mark on the history of Parisian jewellery, and I still remember how moved I was by the Sterlé pieces on display at the “Birds in Paradise” event at the Ecole des Arts Joailliers. Although he was an excellent jeweller, he was not a good manager, and it was Chaumet who saved the day by buying up his stock in the 1970s. He had worked almost exclusively for Chaumet since the early 1960s. He ended his life with them as a technical adviser. The harlequin on display at Aguttes is a fine testimony to the work and achievements of this great man of the trade. A must-have!
See you soon!
