An important diamond devant de corsage, late 18th Century. Photo: Sotheby's.

LONDON.- This afternoon at Sotheby’s London the Jewellery Collection of the Late Michael Wellby made an outstanding total of £2,836,300 – more than three times the pre-sale low estimate of £838,600-£1,194,100, in a rare “white glove” auction in which all 211 lots were sold. Collectors competed fiercely for key pieces. The sale’s top lot was an important late 18th Century diamond devant de corsage, which keen bidding drove to £385,250 – more than six times low estimate (£60,000-80,000). 

An important diamond devant de corsage, Late 18th Century - Photo Sotheby's

Composed of a series of swags, with ribbon and floral motifs, suspending three detachable tassels, set with rose diamonds, measuring approximately 240 x 130mm, later fitted case. Estimate: £60,000 - 80,000. Sold for: £385,250 ($619,251).

This piece demonstrates the 18th Century Fashion for using jewellery to decorate not only the neck but also the dress as well. A jewel of this size is extremely rare as many pieces were often broken up and sold or re-set to keep up with ever changing fashions. The use of rose diamonds allowed the jeweller to shape the stones into the design they wanted while foiling on the reverse of the stones gave a beautiful soft sparkle in the candlelight. The quality of the work on this jewel is evident not only in the articulation but also in the layer of gold applied on the reverse which would have protected the valuable garments from being soiled through the oxidization of the silver mounts. This piece would have been sown onto the front of the bodice, the loops on either end allowing for a ribbon to be added so the jewel could be worn as an elaborate choker.

A 19th century wheat sheaf diamond tiara also outstripped expectations sixfold, fetching £373,250, against an estimate of £60,000-80,000. 

An attractive diamond wheat sheaf tiara, Second half of 19th Century - Photo Sotheby's

Designed as two wheat sheaf's each tied together with a ribbon bow, set throughout with cushion-, pear-shaped, circular-, single-cut and rose diamonds, inner circumference approximately 330mm, few small diamonds deficient, each wheat sheaf detachable from frame and can be worn as brooches, bows detachable with additional brooch fittings, accompanied by later fitted case. Estimation: 60,000 - 80,000 GBP. Lot. Vendu 373,250 GBP

LITTERATURE: Cf: Geoffrey Munn, Tiaras, a History of Splendour, Italy, 2001, pages 174-175 and 271 for similar examples of late
19th century wheat sheaf tiaras.Cf: Henri Vever, translated by Katherine Purcell, ‘French Jewellery of the Nineteenth Century’, London 2001, pages
150 and 162.
Cf: Diana Scarisbrick, ‘Jewellery from Renaissance to Art Déco 1540-1940’, Japan 2003, page 115,
Cf: Ed. Hugh Tait, ‘The Art of the Jeweller, a Catalogue of the Hull Grundy Gift to the British Museum’, London 1984, page 22, for examples of wheat sheaf tiaras and brooches.

NOTE DE CATALOGUE: Although the 19th century was a period of great change through industrialisation jewellery designers often looked to the past for inspiration. This tiara in the neo-classical taste, is composed of a wreath of ears of wheat and is emblematic of prosperity, abundance and fruitfulness; it would be highly appropriate if such a tiara were worn at a wedding. In ancient Greece, tiaras of laurel leaves, oak or naturalistic branches would crown the victorious or be worn by women to display their prominent status in society. Emperor Napoleon I was often depicted in portraiture in his coronation robes and wearing a golden laurel wreath to display his status and grandeur.

Cf: Queen Victoria Receiving the Sacrament at her Coronation, 28th June 1838, Charles Robert Leslie(1794-1859), where we see the Queen’s train bearers are depicted wearing hair decorations of wheat-sheaf design.

Mr Nicholas Wellby commented: “We are delighted, and even a little surprised at the result of today’s sale. My father put together his collection over many years and it is wonderful to see how his unerring eye for quality and craftsmanship resonated with collectors. We were particularly pleased with the price achieved for the wheat sheaf tiara which was a great favourite and beloved by many generations of children in the family.”

Alexandra Rhodes, Senior International Jewellery Specialist at Sotheby’s commented: “Today’s result was a tribute to Michael Wellby and his remarkable collection. We witnessed an extraordinary level of interest from international buyers, - on the phone, in the room and online - with bidding becoming, at times, almost frenzied. This has been an enormously successful year for jewellery internationally at Sotheby’s with outstanding results in our sales in Hong Kong, Geneva and New York and following the 100% sold Suzanne Belperron sale in Geneva in May, this is our second white glove sale of 2012.” 

Other highlights of the sale included: 

Diamond bracelet, Tiffany & Co., circa 1930 - Photo Sotheby's

The wide band of geometric design, millegrain-set with variously cut diamonds, length approximately 180mm, signed Tiffany & Co. Estimation: 40,000 - 60,000 GB. Lot. Vendu 127,250 GBP

Natural pearl, gem set and diamond brooch/ pendant, Georges Fouquet, Late 19th Century - Photo Sotheby's

Designed as a lady with flowing hair and headdress, the face and hair composed of carved chalcedony, applied with plique-à-jour enamel and highlighted with cabochon and circular-cut rubies, circular-cut and rose diamonds, suspending a natural pearl, pendant loop, signed G. Fouquet and numbered, French assay marks, case, Fouquet. Estimation: 12,000 - 15,000 GBP. Lot. Vendu 97,250 GBP

LITTERATURE: Cf: Michael Koch 'The Belle Epoque of French Jewellery 1850-1910' Thomas Heneage & Co 1990, pages 294-315 for
examaples of jewellery by Fouquet.

NOTE DE CATALOGUE: Accompanied by report from The Gem & Pearl Laboratory no. 06292 stating the pearl was found to be natural, saltwater.

Georges Fouquet 1862-1957 was a third generation Parisian jeweller and one of the leading exponents of Art Nouveau jewellery winning great praise at the Paris International Exhibition in 1900 with jewels designed by Alphonse Mucha. Mucha was also responsible for designing Fouquet new salon at 6 Rue Royale which Fouquet moved to in 1900. His jewels are typically heavily inspired by nature infused with the female form, utilising fine enamel work. 

The Art Nouveau movement was a short lived flowering of creativity which grew out of the reaction against mechanisation of the second half of the 19th century. Its period of creativity was short lived lasting from the closing decades of the 19th century until just before the Great War of 1914. A reactionary movement, it sought inspiration from the organic forms of nature and femininity, infused with a dream like quality. Many of the plants and flowers beloved of the Victorians, the iris, fuchsia and lily, were adopted by the Art Nouveau movement, but took on a more realistic and life like form.

This change in attitude to the depiction of nature was influenced by the works of John Ruskin, Owen Jones and A.W.N. Pugin as well as the emerging interest in Japanese decorative arts. Jewellers of this period drew on these influences and re-worked it into the new ideology with its interest in nature’s cycle of death and rebirth, infused with the feeling of movement. Other favoured motifs of the movement where fantastical zoomorphic animals, sea monsters, serpents, chimeras and the dragonfly, sometimes merged with the contours of the female form.

Gold, baroque pearl, enamel and diamond pendant, Southern Italian, 17th Century - Sotheby's

Designed as a dancing carnival figure of lady, with a fruit and floral head dress, highlighted with pendants set with rose diamonds, the body composed of a baroque pearl, to a pierced scroll work skirt further highlighted with rose diamonds and polychrome enamel. Estimation: 30,000 - 40,000 GBP. Lot. Vendu 79,250 GBP

NOTE DE CATALOGUE: The use of the baroque pearl in this jewel clearly demonstrates the skill of the jeweller in adapting a natural phenomenon as a sculptural element. Baroque pearls were skilfully incorporated into jewels from the 16th century andremained popular into the 18th . The colourful enamel to the headdress, shoulders and torso as well as the presence of further botanical elements incorporated in the pierced scrolling foliate skirt can be found on Spanish and Southern Italian jewels of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Note the similar use of polychrome enamelled floral elements in the pendant in the Real Monasterio de la Encarnacíon illustrated in the Joyeria Espanola museum catalogue and the floral dress brooch in the Museo Regionale Pepoli in Sicily (inv. No.5478).

Related Literature: Ori e Argenti in Sicilia, exh.cat.Museo Regionale Pepoli, Trapani, Milan 1989
La Joyeria Espanola de Felipe II a Alfonso XIII, Ministerio de Educacion y Cultura , Madrid 1998 no 113.

Natural pearl, enamel and diamond pendant, Beaudoin, circa 1900 - Sotheby's

Depicting the profile of a lady, possibly Ophelia, set with polychrome and plique-à-jour enamel, suspending a natural pearl drop, highlighted with circular-cut diamonds, signed Beaudoin, Paris, French assay marks. Estimation: 8,000 - 12,000 GBP. Lot. Vendu 79,250 GBP

LITTERATURE: Cf: Vivienne Becker, ‘Antique and 20th Century Jewellery’, London 1980, page 41 for another similar example by Beaudoin.

NOTE DE CATALOGUE: Accompanied by The Gem & Pearl Laboratory report no.06517, stating that the pearl was found to be natural, saltwater.

Ophelia was the tragic character in Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'. Many of the Pre-Rafaelite artists took inspiration from the character and one of the most famous paintings was by John Everett Millais, depicting Ophelia floating down a river.

Enamel, lapis lazuli and diamond bracelet, 1920s - Photo Sotheby's

The reversible band depicting ancient Greek scenes of ladies worshipping Athene on one and a battle scene on the other side, highlighted at intervals with rotatable plaques millegrain set with circular-cut diamonds set at the centre with polished lapis lazuli, length approximately 175mm. Estimation: 12,000 - 15,000 GBP. Lot. Vendu 56,450 GBP

LITTERATURE: Cf: Sylvie Raulet, Art Deco Jewellery, London, 1985, page 151
Cf: Marquerite de Cerval, Marchak, Paris, 2006, page 86, for examples of similar art deco bracelets in the oriental style set with diamond panels and decorated with enamel.

NOTE DE CATALOGUE: Art Deco was the antithesis of the Art Nouveau period. After the 1st World War the way women dressed and embellished themselves saw a drastic change: gone were the naturalistic Art Nouveau pieces and corseted dresses, in were trousers and loose fitting dresses with dropped waists. The jewellery of this period changed along with the fashions, now women wore bracelets, often several at a time, lined up their wrists and long sautoir necklaces. The origin of the term Art Deco was a shortening of the title of the ‘Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs etIndustriels Modernes’ in Paris, 1925, of which a large section was dedicated to jewellery. Art Deco jewels incorporated vivid primary colours, geometric and linear patterns, with inspiration coming from the Far East, Middle East and South America. These styles were taken up not only by French, but international jewellers such as Tiffany & Co. from the United States and Janesich from Italy.

Sotheby's. The Jewellery Collection of the Late Michael Wellby: An Eclectic Eye - Jewels Spanning Four Centuries. London | 11 déc. 2012