10/18/2023 Jewelry, General
NEW YORK, NY -- The legendary collaboration between the French designer Jean Schlumberger and Tiffany & Co. produced some of the most iconic jewelry of the 20th century. Inspired by the natural world around him, Schlumberger transformed flora and fauna into fantastical jewels that continue to enthrall collectors around the world.
Born into a prosperous textile manufacturing family in Alsace, Jean Schlumberger (1907-1987) was surrounded by color, pattern and design from a young age. Against his parents’ wishes, he moved to Paris in his early 20s to pursue a career in design. Within a few years, he was creating costume jewelry and fantasy buttons for the Surrealist fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, to great acclaim. Following military service in World War II, he moved to New York and opened a small boutique on East 63rd Street.
In 1956, Tiffany & Co. Chairman Walter Hoving invited Schlumberger to join the firm, and the celebrated partnership began. With his own workshop and salon inside the Fifth Avenue store, and access to a dazzling array of quality gemstones, Schlumberger quickly drew a loyal client base from among the world’s most fashionable women, including the Duchess of Windsor, Babe Paley, Bunny Mellon, Jayne Wrightsman, Gloria Vanderbilt, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Jacqueline Kennedy.
Doyle is honored to auction a group of exceptional jewelry designed by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co. from a Collection of a Prominent Entertainment Family. Highlighting this remarkable collection are examples of some of Schlumberger’s most sought-after designs, including his Oiseau de Paradis (Bird of Paradise) brooch, Seahorse brooch, and his iconic Bird on a Rock brooch.
In the 1960s, Schlumberger created the whimsical Bird on a Rock mounting for the famed Tiffany Yellow Diamond, the 128-carat yellow diamond acquired by Tiffany in 1879. Tiffany has since produced this mounting on different gemstones, including the aquamarine brooch in this collection.
The public is invited to view these exceptional jewels by Jean Schlumberger at Doyle and discover why they have delighted and enthralled generations of collectors.
Auction Thursday, October 26, 2023 at Noon
Exhibition Sat, Oct 21 – Mon, Oct 23, Noon – 5pm