Platinum, gold, diamond, faience and colored stone 'Pylon' brooch, Cartier, London. Photo courtesy Sotheby's

Designed as the entryway to an Egyptian temple, the glazed faience plaque framed with round, old European and single-cut diamonds, accented by channel-set and calibré-cut rubies, sapphires, citrines, emeralds, and amethysts, further set with cabochon rubies and onyx segments, the faience plaque backed with gold, with enamel accents, mounted in platinum, signed Cartier, Londres, faintly numbered S.L7358; circa 1923. Estimate:  $50,000 – $70,000

PROPERTY FORMERLY FROM THE ESTATE OF IYA, LADY ABDY, THENCE BY DESCENT TO THE PRESENT OWNER

Literature: For a complete description and discussion of this piece see Cartier: 1900-1939 by Judy Rudoe, pages 136-137.

An illustration of Lady Abdy wearing the piece suspended from a necklace is featured in American Vogue, December 8, 1928, page 192.

Featured in a Cartier London illustration of 'The 'Tutankhamen' Influence in Modern Jewellery,' Illustrated London News, January 26, 1924.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels. New York | 11 Dec 2013, 10:00 AM - http://www.sothebys.com