Historic jewellery: as the recent highlights of the market reveal, remarkable historic jewels are still coming to light. Collectors should be aware that many of the finest pieces are sold by dealers rather than at auction
Although connoisseurs have long been lamenting the dearth of genuine antique jewellery, a close look at the international art market over the past two years provides evidence that objects of quality from the renaissance to the First Empire do continue to come up for sale, either through private transactions or through the auction rooms.
Unfortunately, the authenticity of the sixteenth-century figurative jewels which are considered the summit of the goldsmith's craft is difficult to establish, thanks to the number of nineteenth-century forgeries and revivalist versions. Hence the importance of a cameo portrait of Philip II (1527-98) in armour, inscribed with his name and title, which has survived in the original setting (Fig. 1) and was recently sold by D.S. Lavender, London. The frame is studded with eight table-cut diamonds, and the back is enamelled with a black trophy of arms alluding to Philip's role as military leader of his people and champion of the Catholic cause against the forces of Protestantism. As might be expected from the greatest art patron of an art-loving century, the jewel perfectly embodies a calm, majestic ideal of sovereignty. Since the art of cameo cutting is such a difficult one, these hardstone royal images were regarded as the most prestigious of gifts, reserved either for a close relation of the monarch or a person of the greatest political importance. Philip II's sister Done Juana of Austria is depicted with a jewel of this type on her funeral monument by Pompeo Leoni in the chapel of the Convent of Descalzas Reales, as is his daughter, the Infanta Clara Eugenia, in a portrait by Alonso Sanchez Coello of about 1580 (Museo del Prado, Madrid). This example would have been worn on a chain round the neck, proudly displayed like an order or badge of loyalty.
Even rarer is a jewel of about 1670 representing St Jerome in Penitence, the front with a diamond frame, the back enamelled with flowers in relief, sold by S.J. Philips, London. It combines the fervour of the Counter Reformation, the growing interest in botany and the passion for the diamond at a time when supplies were increasing and developments in the techniques of faceting were releasing more light and fire than the earlier point and table cuts (Fig. 2). Although this great discovery has no provenance, it is likely to have come from Spain, since so many of the country's sixteenth and seventeenth-century schools and churches were dedicated to the early Christian scholar who translated the Bible into the Latin Vulgate. Indeed, the Infanta Clara Eugenia wears a St Jerome jewel pinned to the feathers of her hat in another portrait by Alonso Sanchez Coello, of 1579 (Museo del Prado, Madrid).
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Indisputably English is the group of jewels associated with Neil Gwynn, sold by her descendant the Duke of St Albans, and shown by S.J. Phillips of London at the Grosvenor House Fair in June 2003. Now dispersed, it comprised diamonds said to have been given to her by Charles II, later set into a pin for the hair and a pretty cluster ring, and other items of royal Stuart interest: memorial jewels of Charles I and Charles II, a ring set with a fine cornelian cameo bust of Charles I wreathed and wearing armour, and a highly important crystal pendant enclosing a carved wood painted and gilt bust of Charles I wearing rise sash and badge of the Order of the Garter, attributed to Nicholas Briot (1579-1646). Of no intrinsic value but nonetheless very evocative of the Stuart court was an oblong locket enclosing a silver thread ribbon knot on a plaid fragment, the back inscribed 'A PIECE OF THE RIBBON WORN BY CHARLES 2ND ON THE DAY OF HIS MARRIAGE'.
Also interesting on account of its provenance is the grand Sevigne or breast jewel set with an emerald cameo in a diamond frame by Rundell, Bridge and Rundell in 1829 for Charlotte Florentia, wife of Hugh 3rd Duke of Northumberland (Fig. 3). Whereas jewellery made by Rundells--world-famous at that time--is rare enough, even more so is the 55.8 carat emerald cameo, which the Duchess had inherited from her grandfather, Robert Clive (1725-75), 1st Baron Clive of Plassey. The most successful of all the nabobs who acquired fortunes in India, following a long tradition he transferred much of his wealth home to England in the form of gemstones, some of which he sold, but kept others, such as this cameo, and the diamonds surrounding it, for the women of his family. This fine example of seventeenth-century Mughal court engraving set in a late Georgian jewel was sold for 1,181,250 [pounds sterling] by Christie's, London, last year. (1)
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As the Empress Josephine, who had excellent taste, bought jewellery for her daughter-in-law Augusta, Princess of Bavaria, wife of Eugene de Beauharnais, viceroy of Italy, a pearl necklace with that provenance evoked memories of the Empress and the splendours of her court. From Princess Augusta, who wears them with pride in a portrait, the pearls were passed to her daughter Josefina, who married the future Oscar I of Sweden in 1827, and thereafter descended through various generations of the Swedish royal family. The necklace was sold by Phillips in New York in 2002, for $200,000.
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