FALIZE. Parure composée d'un pendentif et de deux éléments de collier de chien

transformables en broche, en or jaune à motif feuillagé, agrémenté de nacre blanche et de cabochons de chrysoberyl. Le pendentif porte le poinçon de Maître. Dans son écrin à la forme de la maison FALIZE à Paris. (Les deux attaches de broche amovibles se trouvent dans le fond de l'écrin). Poids brut : 22,8 g.  Estimé : 9 000 / 9 500 €

The name Falize is less well known today than at the turn of the century, when it was in the same league as Fabergé, Lalique, and Cartier. In catering to European nobility, aristocracy, and wealthy bourgeoisie, these goldsmiths created clocks, watches, bibelots, and ceremonial sword hilts in addition to necklaces, pins, bracelets, and other decorations for fashionable ladies. During the second half of the nineteenth century, Paris was the scene of an extraordinary flowering of jewelry design and manufacture. Many of the internationally famous houses opened their doors in that period: Falize in 1840, Cartier in 1847, Boucheron in 1858, Fouquet in 1860, Lalique in 1885. Prominent among these was the house of Falize, which, until its close in 1936, was recognized as one of the most meticulous and tasteful of jewelers and goldsmiths. Its history is a tale of three generations: the founder Alexis; his son Lucien, who ran the enterprise in its most illustrious period; and finally Lucien's three talented sons, who continued the tradition into the twentieth century as Falize Frres. In recent years, Falize has been rediscovered, and its jewels and objects can be found at auction sales fetching handsome prices. The relative rarity and quality of the pieces make them highly valued, as do their intriguing associations. During the company's heyday, when it was ensconced at a smart address in the Avenue de l'Opra, it counted among its illustrious customers Empress Eugnie, the Imperial Russian family, Sarah Bernhardt, Queen Marie of Rumania, Colette, and many others.

Artcurial Deauville 14800 Deauville. Vente du 20 août 2008. Bijoux Anciens et Modernes. Pour tout renseignement, veuillez contacter la Maison de Ventes au 02 31 81 81 00