Autumn 2014
monds and coloured stones that can be separated into two mirror-image dress clips, a huge fashion of the late 1920s and 30s. “People often don’t know how to wear them, but, as clips, they instantly dress up a simple black dress, or can be worn on the neckline of a sweater, both together on one side, or on either side of the neck.” One of her highlights at the Fair this year is a Tutti Frut- ti double clip brooch by Mauboussin, a composition of diamonds and little coloured gems carved as fruits and leaves, the style originated and made famous by Cartier in the 1920s. Sandra suggests, “these would look great on a denim jacket, on a pocket or lapel.”
Antique Jewellery
ticket items, long, theatrical earrings of any period are popular with models and the fashion set, and, she finds, everyone’s honing in on strong coloured stones, in tune with fashion’s colour-blocking mood. All in all, the focus is on one major statement jewel; for example, recently her clients have been looking for long chains, Georgian or Victorian guard chains, from which they would hang seals, charms or coloured stone pendants. For Sue Brown too, a specialist in “quirky” jewel-
lery, the major, personal style statement jewel is the thing. Big, bold necklaces are what her clients are looking for now, antique or period pieces but with a contemporary look, as in 19th century Whitby jet, or sometimes with an ethnic flavour as in the 19th centu- ry gold and ruby pendant, set with a painted miniature in the Indian style. And always something different, unexpected, eye-catching, to become a conversation piece, a personal signature. She believes the appeal of period jewellery to her “arty”, fashion-conscious cli- entele lies in its lack of ostentation. “This jewellery is discreet, even when it’s expensive it doesn’t shout money or wealth, and only very few people would rec- ognise its value,” she explains. “I look through fashion magazines all the time, and create fashion looks for my clients, advising them for example to wear a pendant on a leather or silk cord rather than the usual chain.”
Above A pair of carved emerald, ruby and diamond dress clips, mounted in platinum, by Mauboussin c.1925. Sandra Cronan.
Lynn Lindsay of Wimpole Antiques, agrees that
brooches, traditionally considered difficult to sell or wear, and especially big, bold, forthright brooches are attracting more attention. “They’re being worn on the hip, waist or in different, unexpected places,” she says. This is, she continues, a sign of the changing market for period jewellery, a shift away from conventional collecting towards assembling a wardrobe of jewel- lery to wear, rather than to keep in a safe. She believes there is a strong link between antique jewellery and today’s fashion trends: “We get the fashion brigade through here regularly, especially the foreign buyers during London Fashion Week. They want pieces that look right now, but that will also look right in 10 years’ time.” Wimpole Antiques will be showing their sig- nature stock of jewellery from 1790 to 1970, with an emphasis on 19th century French and English jewel- lery. Wide gold bracelets, often gem-set, dramatic long gold novelty earrings, and striking gold collars are hot
Above Ruby set gold pendant with painted miniature of a Sultan and his son, c.1860. Sue Brown. Photograph by Liezl.
Streamlined Art Deco creations strike just the right
note for today’s pared-down, structural and linear clothes and the current craze for geometric jewellery. LAPADA dealers, including specialists such as Han- cocks, Moira and Bentley & Skinner, offer a master- class in Art Deco style and a rich panoply of 1920s and 30s jewels, ranging from the luxurious exoticism of vi-
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