Pair of Art Deco Clip Brooches by Cartier, 1930, Convertible to a Black Lacquer Cuff
Pair of Art Deco Clip Brooches by Cartier, 1930, Convertible to a Black Lacquer Cuff
SOLD
A pair of clip brooches, each composed of a central line of baguette diamonds in the center of layered semi circles of round and baguette diamonds; mounted in platinum; convertible to a later black lacquer bangle in yellow gold; in fitted box
Additional cataloguing
Biography
Cartier was founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier. His three grandsons, Louis, Pierre, and Jacques, built the house into a famous international jewelry empire serving royalty, Hollywood stars, and socialites. Cartier has created some of the most important jewelry and objects of art of the twentieth century with many iconic designs such as mystery clocks, Tutti Frutti jewelry and the Panthère line. In 1983, The Cartier Collection was established with the objective of acquiring important pieces that trace the firm's artistic evolution. Today, Cartier has 200 stores in 125 countries.
Significance
After World War I, social and technological changes influenced fashion and jewelry design. The elaborate dresses and restricted hourglass figure popular with women at the turn of the century was replaced with the flapper look—comfortable drop-waist daytime dresses with raised hemlines and long A-line sleeveless dresses with revealing necklines for the evening. The new fashions were simpler than previous eras allowing for ease of movement and focusing on sumptuous materials and interesting draping or monotone beadwork that created the perfect backdrop for the new jewels of the era. The dress clip became the essential jewel in the 1920s and 1930s. Women were drawn to the versatility of the jewel, clipping them to necklines, shoulders, lapels, handbags, the hair, or even the wrist opening of a coat.
This pair of diamond and platinum Cartier clips utilizes a variety of stone cuts to create visual interest within the all-white jewel. The central line of baguette diamonds centering semi-circles of round diamonds creates a strong directional jewel, drawing in the eye of the viewer. In a subtle design move, the baguette diamonds are positioned horizontally, balancing the directional pull of the piece. The rays of baguette diamonds emanating from the edge are another subtle design touch demonstrating the level of consideration that went into creating the intricate layered design of this diamond-set piece.
Created around 1930, when the bold colors of the earlier Art Deco period were replaced by sophisticated jewels in all white, this Cartier dress clip pair still in the original box, would be beautiful clipped to any neckline and could be worn alone, in a pair, or layered with other diamond jewelry.
