Mastery of Design: A French Gold and Diamond "Aide-Mémoire," 19th C.

Notebook
French, Nineteenth Century
The Hull-Grundy Gift to
The British Museum

Known as an "aide-mémoire", this notebook with hinged covers of blue enamel on a guilloche ground is decorated with applied four-color gold trophies of gardening implements on one side and doves, and bows and arrows on the other. 

Each trophy is entwined with a gold ribbon and an inscription in rose diamonds set in silver.

The piece is clasped with a sliding gold pencil.  The interior sports three ivory leaves, each containing writing in French from its original Nineteenth Century owner.  

Gifts of Grandeur: The Hull Grundy Pansy Brooch, c. 1850

The British Museum

As we've often discussed before, the Victorian Language of Flowers was used to communicate many a message when the spoken word was not appropriate.  In this intimate language, the pansy represented "thoughts"--a clever play on the French word "pensees" which means "thoughts."  The pansy could also signify to the recipient of the flower that the sender was saying, "You occupy my thoughts."  The pansy was developed out of the viola by botanists from the late 1820s and by 1861, the brightly-hued, large variations that we know today were being grown.

When this brooch was made between 1840 and 1850, we can see that the flower was well on its way to becoming the bloom that we know.  At this point in both floral and jewelry history, the pansy was a popular romantic symbol, and this jewel is a perfect example of the place that the bloom held in English culture.  A work of chased two-color gold, the brooch is set with amethysts and citrines with pale green stone, possibly peridot, in the center.  The gems are mounted in the form of a pansy flower with the flower-head set on a trembler spring.

This piece forms part of the Hull Grundy bequest to The British Museum.

Mastery of Design: The Hull-Grundy Garnet and Pearl Necklace

Garnet and Seed-Pearl Necklace
Circa 1830
The Hull-Grundy Bequest
This and all related images from:
The British Museum

A delicate necklace, designed in the form of leafy entwined flowers, this work of seed-pearls and gold-set diamonds was made in England in the 1830s in the Naturalistic style which was rising in fashion at the time.


Given to The British Museum as part of the Hull-Grundy bequest, the necklace is displayed in its original presentation case though the satin lining of the lid was replaced in the 1970s. 

Gifts of Grandeur: The Hull Grundy Bodice Ornament, c. 1650

Click image to see larger picture.
Hull Grundy Bodice Ornament
Spain, Seventeenth Century
The British Museum

This bodice ornament of gold is set with table-cut emeralds and diamonds. The upper section of the piece features an openwork design in a bow form incorporating foliate tendrils and volutes. This is hinged to a section which works the initial “S” in pierced openwork.

The reverse of the jewel is enameled in pink and black on a ground of white in a floral pattern.

At one point, this piece was in the collection of Dame Joan Evans, but ended up in the catalogue of the Hull Grundys who presented this as part of a large gift to the British Museum. It’s believed that the ornament has significance to a Spanish religious confraternity.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Hull-Grundy Hair Ornament

Hair Ornament
c. 1760
This and all relayed images from The British Musuem

Another jewel from The British Museum's Hull-Grundy Gift, this hair ornament is made in the form of a floral spray with leaves of chased silver and gold settings for the foiled rose-cut diamonds.  Four pear-shaped pendant drop diamonds and two baroque pearls join the four diamond drops.

The ornament was made in Russia, circa 1760 and shows the Eighteenth Century taste for asymmetrical aigrettes in the Rococo fashion.  The style was especially popular in Russia and Italy, adapted from a Spanish style which relied heavily on shimmering pendant drops.  

A brooch set with emeralds from the same time period and place of creation is frequently associated with this hair ornament.  

Mastery of Design: The Cornflower Aigrette, late Eighteenth Century

Aigrette
From the Hull Grundy Gift
This and all related images from:
The British Museum

I like the word "aigrette."  It's one of those words which I find fun to say.  Furthermore, I like aigrettes since they're often very sparkly and chock-full o' diamonds.  This one's no exception.

I know we've looked at a good many aigrettes before.  This one, however, I think is my favorite of the lot to date.

This aigrette is in the form of a ribbon-tied trembler spray of cornflowers and wheat-ears.  The British Museum was bequeathed this aigrette and a many of its cousins as part of the Hull Grundy gift, and the museum describes the silver and gold, open-back spray set with diamonds as being of particularly "fine workmanship."  

Made in the late Eighteenth or early Nineteenth Century, the piece was possibly made in France, but, shows stylistic elements of English design as well.  The taste for such spray ornaments and jeweled bouquets was particularly strong in both France and England until well after the turn of the Nineteenth Century.  According to the museum, "a very similar aigrette is included in a French design-book issued by Villardi in 1811." The Morocco leather case further suggests French origin.  

The British Museum also states that, "This may be the 'Antique diamond brooch in the form of a harvest bouquet, the wheat ears, leaves and stems pavé-set with cushion-shaped stones, the single flower-head similarly set with a larger diamond at the centre, with case' sold at auction 'By order of the executors'" which was among the pieces taken from the Tuileries by the Empress Eugénie.  An inventory of the Empress' jewels from 1870 declares that there was a "beautiful brilliant brooch formed as a cornflower and a group of foliage."  

Mastery of Design: A Chased Gold Poodle, c. 1870

Brooch
France, 1870
The British Museum

Made in France, circa 1870, this chased gold brooch takes the form of a handsome poodle.

It's part of the Hull Grundy Bequest to The British Museum.

And, that's really all there is to say about it.  It has nothing to do with anything else I posted today, I just liked it.  Otherwise, I was going for a whole "rebirth" and "innocence" theme for the day.

I'm still recovering from the vile lasts gasps of the illness which gobbled at me at the end of 2013.  However, tomorrow, we will be looking at FOOD, food and more food as we take a look at the Christmas a New Year versions of the "Treat of the Week."  That will be much fun.

Mastery of Design: The Hull Grundy Pansy Brooch, c. 1850

The British Museum

As we've often discussed before, the Victorian Language of Flowers was used to communicate many a message when the spoken word was not appropriate.  In this intimate language, the pansy represented "thoughts"--a clever play on the French word "pensees" which means "thoughts."  The pansy could also signify to the recipient of the flower that the sender was saying, "You occupy my thoughts."  The pansy was developed out of the viola by botanists from the late 1820s and by 1861, the brightly-hued, large variations that we know today were being grown.

When this brooch was made between 1840 and 1850, we can see that the flower was well on its way to becoming the bloom that we know.  At this point in both floral and jewelry history, the pansy was a popular romantic symbol, and this jewel is a perfect example of the place that the bloom held in English culture.  A work of chased two-color gold, the brooch is set with amethysts and citrines with pale green stone, possibly peridot, in the center.  The gems are mounted in the form of a pansy flower with the flower-head set on a trembler spring.

This piece forms part of the Hull Grundy bequest to The British Museum.

Mastery of Design: The Anne Hull Grundy Camellia, c. 1860

All Images From the British Museum.

I'm in love with this brooch.  So much so that I can almost forgive the fact that it's made out of elephant.  Made around 1860 in England, the chased green gold ornament takes the form of a camellia with the blooms crafted of finely-carved and tinted ivory.

From the Hull-Grundy gift to The British Museum, the intricately worked ivory is, as The British Museum puts it, "of unusually high quality, demonstating a concern for naturalistic accuracy rather than any interest in intrinsic value."

The brooch was wholly restored by The British Museum in 2009.  It has been purchased by Anne Hull Grundy from N. Bloom & Son, 40 Albemarle Street, London W1 for, according  a 1973 invoice, £440.  The jeweler mistakenly described the ornament as a "Gold and ivory rose spray brooch, c. 1820," when it is in fact, a camellia from c. 1860.

Mastery of Design: A Bohemian Garnet Hair Ornament, c. 1830

Garnet Hair Ornament
The British Museum

Imagine an elegant ballroom, flickering in the light of candles held in chandeliers and girandoles dripping in crystals.  A lady nods a greeting to you.  Nestled in the cascades of curls which form her upswept coiffure is this ornament, a fiery shower of crimson sparks from a foliate spray.


This gold hair ornament is set with briolette-cut garnet drops and pearls hung from eight gold volutes set behind a rose gold ribbon which is also mounted with garnets.  It was made in Bohemia (or possibly Austria) circa 1830 and was collected by Professor John and Anne Hull Grundy who donated their important collection of jewels to the British Museum in 1978.




So...do you like garnets?  Do you like mysteries?  Drama?  Reading?  Me?  Do you like me?

Have you read my first novel, The Garnet Red?  I wrote it many years ago.  It even ties into the Mr. Punch stories.

Christmas is coming up.  Do you know what makes a great gift?  Books.  Books make great gifts.  Or, if you're one of those e-reader types, you can do that.  You can download it at the iTunes store by going here.  If you've got a Nook, you can buy an e-Book here through Barnes and Noble.  Or you can buy an actual book book on Amazon.

As you know, I don't hawk a lot of things here.  I keep the self-promotion to the bare minimum.  But...go on...buy a book, so I can keep doing this, and keep feeding the dog and the puppets and the cats...  

Mastery if Design: A French Gold and Diamond "Aide-Mémoire," 19th C.

Notebook
French, Nineteenth Century
The Hull-Grundy Gift to
The British Museum

Known as an "aide-mémoire", this notebook with hinged covers of blue enamel on a guilloche ground is decorated with applied four-color gold trophies of gardening implements on one side and doves, and bows and arrows on the other. 

Each trophy is entwined with a gold ribbon and an inscription in rose diamonds set in silver.

The piece is clasped with a sliding gold pencil.  The interior sports three ivory leaves, each containing writing in French from its original Nineteenth Century owner.  

Mastery of Design: The Hull-Grundy Coral and Ruby Dove Earrings

The British Museum

Made in England in the 1830s, this pair of earrings is hung with coral drops.  A setting of bloomed-gold leaves is surmounted by doves with ruby-set eyes.  The 1830s saw a rising taste for Naturalistic jewelry, not only designs of flowers, fungus and foliage, but also birds, insects and animals.  While real preserved animals were also employed, most wearers preferred golden representations to taxidermy.

These earrings are part of the Hull-Grundy Gift to the British Museum.

Mastery of Design: Anne Hull Grundy's Morning Glory Brooch

Brooch of Diamonds, White Gold, Nephrite, Chalcedony
The British Museum

Click on image for larger size.  

Made in Germany circa 1930, this handsome brooch of white gold, nephrite, diamonds and stained chalcedony still is matched with its original invoice for £400, as purchased by Anne Hull Grundy.  Taking the form of a brilliant morning glory, the brooch is an interesting combination of Art Deco design ideals and the romantic naturalism favored in the late Nineteenth Century.

Obviously, this is part of the important Hull-Grundy Gift of hundreds of unusual jewels which was bequeathed to The British Museum.

Mastery of Design: The Night Cameo, 1820-1830

"Night"
Italy, 1820-1830
The British Museum

Carved in pale malachite, this gold-framed cameo is carved with the image of a winged woman, "Night," cradling two sleeping children.

This 1820 to 1830 composition is inspired by the marble relief by Bertel Thorwaldsen which was finished in 1815 during the famed sculptors stay in Rome.  The original relief is now in the Thorwaldsen Museum, Copenhagen. 

A cast of the circular gem was cut by Italian jeweler Luigi Pichler after Thorwaldsen's relief and remained a popular motif throughout the Nineteenth Century.

This brooch is one of the many fabulous jewels which were bequeathed to The British Museum as part of the Hull-Grundy Gift.

Mastery of Design: The Hull-Grundy Garnet and Pearl Necklace

Garnet and Seed-Pearl Necklace
Circa 1830
The Hull-Grundy Bequest
This and all related images from:
The British Museum

A delicate necklace, designed in the form of leafy entwined flowers, this work of seed-pearls and gold-set diamonds was made in England in the 1830s in the Naturalistic style which was rising in fashion at the time.


Given to The British Museum as part of the Hull-Grundy bequest, the necklace is displayed in its original presentation case though the satin lining of the lid was replaced in the 1970s.

Mastery of Design: The Cornflower Aigrette, late Eighteenth Century

Aigrette
From the Hull Grundy Gift
This and all related images from:
The British Museum

I like the word "aigrette."  It's one of those words which I find fun to say.  Furthermore, I like aigrettes since they're often very sparkly and chock-full o' diamonds.  This one's no exception.

I know we've looked at a good many aigrettes before.  This one, however, I think is my favorite of the lot to date.

This aigrette is in the form of a ribbon-tied trembler spray of cornflowers and wheat-ears.  The British Museum was bequeathed this aigrette and a many of its cousins as part of the Hull Grundy gift, and the museum describes the silver and gold, open-back spray set with diamonds as being of particularly "fine workmanship."  

Made in the late Eighteenth or early Nineteenth Century, the piece was possibly made in France, but, shows stylistic elements of English design as well.  The taste for such spray ornaments and jeweled bouquets was particularly strong in both France and England until well after the turn of the Nineteenth Century.  According to the museum, "a very similar aigrette is included in a French design-book issued by Villardi in 1811." The Morocco leather case further suggests French origin.  

The British Museum also states that, "This may be the 'Antique diamond brooch in the form of a harvest bouquet, the wheat ears, leaves and stems pavé-set with cushion-shaped stones, the single flower-head similarly set with a larger diamond at the centre, with case' sold at auction 'By order of the executors'" which was among the pieces taken from the Tuileries by the Empress Eugénie.  An inventory of the Empress' jewels from 1870 declares that there was a "beautiful brilliant brooch formed as a cornflower and a group of foliage."  

Mastery of Design: The Carbuncle Tiara

The British Museum

Click image to enlarge.

Made circa 1850 in England, this regal tiara of bloomed and chased two-color gold is set with cabochon garnets and takes the from of a floral half-circlet.

A brilliant representative of the style of the time, this is among the many jewels bequeathed to The British Museum by Professor John and Anne Hull Grundy in 1978.  

Mastery of Design: The DEAREST Bird, c. 1830

This and all related images
from The British Museum

Click to enlarge.

From The British Museum's Hull-Grundy Collection, this two-color gold comb was made around 1830 in Britain.  The comb is designed in the form of a leafy branch upon which is perched a bird with a ruby eye.  She carries a ring in her beak and is mounted on a trembler spring to give her movement.

The twig, at the central crest is set with a diamond, an emerald, an amethyst, a ruby, an emerald, a sapphire and a turquoise, which, as we know, in the language of jewels spells "DEAREST."  Gold foliage and turquoise-set forget-me-nots adorn the rest of the branch.

This is one in a collection of bird-themed romantic jewelry amassed by the Hull-Grundy family, itself a part of a fantastic parure.

Click images to "embiggen."

Mastery of Design: The Hull-Grundy Hair Ornament

Hair Ornament
c. 1760
This and all relayed images from The British Musuem

Another jewel from The British Museum's Hull-Grundy Gift, this hair ornament is made in the form of a floral spray with leaves of chased silver and gold settings for the foiled rose-cut diamonds.  Four pear-shaped pendant drop diamonds and two baroque pearls join the four diamond drops.

The ornament was made in Russia, circa 1760 and shows the Eighteenth Century taste for asymmetrical aigrettes in the Rococo fashion.  The style was especially popular in Russia and Italy, adapted from a Spanish style which relied heavily on shimmering pendant drops.  

A brooch set with emeralds from the same time period and place of creation is frequently associated with this hair ornament.