CARTIER London, 1920s - Lot 49

CARTIER London, 1920s Rare brooch-cliquet stylizing a palmette in 950‰ platinum entirely set with old-cut diamonds, including a larger central one, in millegrain setting and enhanced with fine white pearls. The case features a ratchet mechanism. Pin in 950‰ platinum. Unsigned. Weight of main diamond: approx. 1.50 carats. Diameter of the cache-pointe pearl: 5.9mm. Dimensions: 7.2x3.2cm. P. Gross weight: 14.3 g. Accompanied by its worn case in the shape of the Maison and an IAJA appraisal dated March 18, 2024 (n°XP1649-180324). This brooch-cliquet is a characteristic example of the influence of Persian and Indian arts on the creations of the Maison Cartier in the 1920s. An essential accessory during the Art Deco period, the first examples were created by the Maison Cartier on the eve of the First World War. Joined by a long pin, the two motifs were sometimes of equivalent size. More often, the upper element is larger, with a small decorative element called a "cache-pointe" at the end of the pin. A notch on the pin is caught by a spring on the reverse side of the tip cover. These brooches - often called ruffle pins - were in fact mostly worn on a lapel, or pinned on the cloche hats that were so fashionable in the 1920s. In the words of Pierre Cartier, quoted in a newspaper article on his "Jewelry Forecasts for 1925", "One of the novelties that an elegant woman must wear, especially since the appearance of the little hat, is the brooch-cliquet. The pin is often adorned with pearls of great value, and in fact, this jewel has become so fashionable that it is worn first thing in the morning. Then it's made of coral and semi-precious stones, while in the afternoon it's made of pearls and precious stones, especially large pearls". Bibliography : - RUDOE, Judy, Cartier 1900-1939, Somogy Editions d'Art, Paris, 1997 - ECKER, HENON-RAYNAUD, POSSÉMÉ and SCHLEUNING, Cartier et les Arts de l'Islam - Aux sources de la modernité, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, 2021.