Parisian late Art Deco clip brooch set with ruby and diamonds, 1940s

With its abstractly draped form, warmly shimmering yellow gold, and diamond and ruby trim, this brooch speaks the formal language of the first half of the 1940s. So it may at first seem surprising that its hallmarks identify it as a Parisian piece of the period: After all, Paris was under German occupation at the time, and not only was there a general shortage of money due to the war, but the supply of precious stones mined in distant lands was extremely irregular. Unlike in most European jewellery centres, the great Parisian jewellers had not ceased work during that period. However, because of the scarcity of materials, they had to make do on this point: Thus, whoever commissioned a gold piece had to contribute the gold himself and cede a fifth of it to the state. The stones, in turn, were either made from old pieces or came from stocks purchased before the war. This may explain why two of the six diamonds are cut differently than the other four, which does not affect the aesthetics of the brooch when examined with the naked eye. In its materiality, this brooch is a piece of exquisite preciousness. Its solid gold body feels heavy in the hand, even the back clip pins are made of gold, and it is set with eleven rubies in addition to the diamonds, which shine like a cluster of red berries. The fact that such a piece was created precisely at that time, however, has to do precisely with this preciousness; for the brooch is not only an extremely decorative piece of jewellery, but moreover an investment of value which, unlike paper money, has retained and continues to retain great permanence even in turbulent times. As a valuable investment, the brooch survived the turmoil of war in very good condition. Even today, the clip on the back with two pins ensures that the precious item cannot come loose from the coat, blazer or sweater. On jewellery production in Paris during the first half of the 1940s, see David Bennet and Daniela Mascetti: Understanding Jewellery, Woodbridge 2010, p. 356. Numerous comparative pieces can be found in ibid, p. 368ff.

Estimate:£10,099.72

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