Auction of the Jean and Pierre Bellin collection, a history of Parisian jewellery

A few weeks ago, my phone rang and I learned that MS Enchères was putting up for sale the workshop of Jean and Pierre Bellin. I was particularly surprised and interested, because the Bellin brothers represent an entire history of jewellery and the 9th arrondissement of Paris, whose workshop was one of the greatest of its time. As sub-contractors to some of the greatest jewellery houses, their pieces deserve to be rediscovered and showcased for the quality of their design and manufacture. The hands that worked behind the scenes to create the jewellery that came out of this workshops were exceptional in every way. But first, we need to tell you about this story, which has become such a legend that a lot of misinformation is still circulating today. As you read on, we’ll introduce you to the pieces that I found most appealing!

1- René Léon Bellin, top of the class

I say this with a touch of irony, but if we are to believe the many sources that mention Bellin, the company dates back to around 1900. This is clearly not possible, as the first person identified as belonging to the trade was René Léon Bellin, who was a gem-setter. He was born on 8 July 1902 and his parents, Jean Marie Sylvain and Anna Rosalie, were a chauffeur and a housewife respectively. Nothing to do with jewellery.

On 16 August 1924, René married Germaine Suzanne Miseret, a typist, at the town hall in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. It was stated that he was a jeweller. I would say that I know how Réné became a gem-setter, but I have no information on this subject. What I can tell you, however, is that a cousin, Lucien Bellin, a leatherworker, was present at the wedding. Undoubtedly, there were people in the family who practised manual trades and frequented workshops. Was this how young René entered the trade? That’s one possibility.

Although he was certainly employed in 1924, it was not until 3 November 1941 that he set up shop at 50 rue Saint-Sabin, which was also his home address when he married in 1924. Registered as a custom jeweller, he may well have had a hallmark, of which I have found no trace. In any case, the entrepreneurial adventure did not last long and he became an employee again in 1947. His sons would say that he passed on to them “his art and his tricks of the trade” (L’Officiel, 1992).

2- Jean Bellin, second in line

The second to set up shop was Jean Bellin. On 29 January 1963, he obtained his jeweller’s hallmark. His workshop was located at 25 rue d’Alsace, a stone’s throw from the 9th arrondissement, just behind the Gare de l’Est. He was soon joined by his brother, and a new structure was born. On 1 January 1967, Société Jean et Pierre Bellin was born. On 25 October 1967, a new hallmark was applied, replacing that of Jean Bellin alone.

The workshop is now located in the 9th arrondissement, at 5 rue Faubourg Montmartre, with its head office at 16 rue d’Aguesseau, the same address where Cartier now has most of its Paris offices. It wasn’t until a few years later that the studio took on its full dimension and moved to its best-known address, 62 rue Lafayette, in the early 1970s (the date is not known, but they moved there in 1973).

While the exact careers of the two brothers are not fully known, we do know that they began apprenticeships relatively early, certainly after secondary school, and that they worked at Cartier, where they learned their trade.

The company existed in this form until 1989, when Philippe Bellin joined the business, changing its legal structure but not the hallmark. The company ceased to exist in the 90s (the head office closed in 1999) and the rue Lafayette workshop was taken over in 1995 by another remarkable jewellery company that is still active today.

3- A style, jewellery and prestigious customers

As I was saying, the Bellin family is part of the history of jewellery. While there are many great workshops, few have stood out from the crowd, working for the greatest jewellery houses and, as we still say today, “for La Place”. By this we mean the Place Vendôme and the great names that populate it.

JEAN & PIERRE BELLIN
Brooch Clip in 18K (750/1000) yellow gold, depicting an owl on its branch, the body adorned with a cabochon of tourmaline, the wings in blue stone imitating lapis, the tail in green stone, the neck adorned with round brilliant-cut diamonds, the onyx set with rubies and mother-of-pearl topped with black enamel. Size approx. 5 cm x 3 cm. Eagle head hallmark, master hallmark. Numbered. Estimate between 1500 and 1600 euros. Photo : MS Enchères.

JEAN & PIERRE BELLIN
Brooch clip in 18K (750/1000) yellow gold depicting a toucan on its branch, the feathers in lapis lazuli, the head paved with 13 round brilliant-cut diamonds, the eye adorned with a ruby. Signed JP BELLIN. Numbered 055012. eagle head hallmark and master hallmark. Size: 5.5 cm X 2.5 cm. Estimated between 1400 and 1600 euros. Photo: MS Enchères.

Talented jewellers and businessmen with their feet firmly on the ground but their heads in the gems, the Bellins have made a name for themselves thanks to their sculptural pieces, in particular a fascinating bestiary featuring colourful birds, fabulous fish, mischievous felines, but also squirrels, cats and insects adorned with gemstones and diamonds.

But that’s not all: the rooms in the house are relatively imposing, and rather heavy too. They were designed to last. In fact, they share common traits with pieces bearing the hallmarks of other great names of the era, such as Vassort, Lenfant, Brun and Duhem, to name just a few of the superb workshops.

The workshop at 62 rue Lafayette, where I was lucky enough to work after the Bellins moved on, has seen some incredible stories written within its walls. I could tell you about the sultan who came to spend hours there to leave sumptuous orders that made the heyday of a major address in the world of fine jewellery.

But animals were not the only Bellin creations. Large-scale pieces were legion here: clocks, goldsmiths’ and silversmiths’ objects and exceptional objects. You can discover some of them on Jean-Jacques Richard‘s website. The company exhibits at the Basel show every year, then the biggest fair dedicated to jewellery, unveiling technical and aesthetic prowess, imposing its signature and know-how.

JEAN & PIERRE BELLIN
Domed 18K (750/1000) yellow gold ring set with engraved amethysts and citrines, framing three diamonds weighing approximately 0.1 carat each. Estimated at between 900 and 1100 euros. Photo: MS Enchères

JEAN & PIERRE BELLIN
An 18K (750/1000) yellow gold ring, featuring a horse’s head, the mane partially paved with round brilliant-cut diamonds, and the eyes adorned with onyx cabochon. Estimated at between 500 and 600 euros. Photo: MS Enchères

The houses made no mistake and put their trust in the workshop. Mauboussin was one of the workshop’s most important clients at the time, as were Chaumet, Van Cleef & Arpels, FRED and, of course, a number of foreign houses, since most of the company’s production was exported outside France in the 1980s and 1990s. Advertisements from the period also provide a good overview of the company’s production and talent.

This workshop collection is an opportunity to revisit a history that is still fairly much alive, but which is gradually fading away. Although the master hallmarks are now better documented, allowing us to shed light on the workshops, the Bellins are little known to the general public. This superb sale is an opportunity to rediscover them and bring back to life the 9th arrondissement of the 80s and 90s!

See you soon!