An early 20th century diamond and ruby bird devant-de-corsage brooch. Estimate CHF40,000 – CHF45,000 ($40,341 - $45,384). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015

Designed as a flight of five graduated swallows, each set with old-cut diamonds and ruby eyes, circa 1900, 15.5 cm, each swallow detachable and with additional specific brooch fitting, in black leather fitted Montgomery Bros. case  

Montgomery Bros. store at the turn of the century

Literature: P. Prodow and D. Healy, American Jewelry - Glamour and Tradition, Rizzoli, 1987, New York, p.123 

Notes: SWALLOWS

At the end of the 19th Century, René Lalique, who had just taken over the Destape workshop in Paris, was still offering his drawings to the most famous jewellery houses of the Place Vendme. In 1887, he designed a devant-de-corsage brooch as a flight of swallows, each bird a different size to increase the 'flight' perspective. Lalique created a model from the drawing and proposed it to Frederic Boucheron, with whom he had worked many times before. Unfortunately, Boucheron thought the devant-de-corsage was too whimsical and declined to buy it.
Nevertheless, Lalique loved the model so much that he decided to make the jewelled brooch, setting it with diamonds and rubies. Once completed, he returned to Boucheron, this time with the finalised devant-de-corsage; each swallow could be detached and worn as individual brooches or combs. Frederic Boucheron purchased it immediately, commending Lalique for his bold taste.

S. Barten, René Lalique - Schmuck und Objets d’art (1890-1910), Prestel-Verlag, München, 1977, no. 864

This first swallow brooch was the starting point of a new trend, and Boucheron continued to sell many of these beautiful Lalique-designed masterpieces in the years that followed. He was not alone however, and before long Bailey, Banks and Biddle were producing many of these new fashionable jewels as well, either in flight or as individual pieces. The present devant-de-corsage, similar to the original idea of Ren Lalique, was probably purchased at the turn of the Century at Montgomery Bros. store in Los Angeles, one of the major jewellery retail stores on the West Coast, founded in 1881.
Although individual swallow brooches come up at auction from time to time, a devant-de-corsage brooch with a complete flight of swallows is an extremely rare and coveted jewel that is very seldom seen for sale.  

Bibliography: H. Vever, La Bijouterie Franaise au XIXe sicle (1800-1900), Vol. 3, 1908, Paris, p.706-708
P. Prodow and D. Healy, American Jewelry - Glamour and Tradition, Rizzoli, 1987, New York, p.123
S. Barten, René Lalique - Schmuck und Objets d'art (1890-1910), Prestel-Verlag, Mnchen, 1977, no. 864 

Christie's. GENEVA MAGNIFICENT JEWELS, 10 November 2015, Geneva