PREVIEW: JEWELLERY 14 MARCH

Two fine floral brooches are to be offered for sale at Noonans Mayfair on 14 March, demonstrating the imaginative talent at work in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Each inspired by nature, the first is a late 19th century Lily of the Valley diamond spray brooch by J. E. Caldwell & Co. Set throughout with graduated rose-cut diamonds, to a knife-wire stem suspending a series of old brilliant-cut diamond flowerhead drops, the 7cm long brooch is tied by a rose-cut diamond set ribbon, with a total old brilliant-cut diamond weight approximately 3.51 carats. The estimate is £4,000-6,000.

The second brooch is an early 20th century Art Nouveau sapphire, peridot and enamel brooch by Marcus & Co., fashioned as a delicate foliate spray with plique-à-jour enamelled leaves, the arching design mounted with sapphire and peridot bead ‘fruits’, mounted to textured gold branches. Measuring 42 x 55mm, with a length of 43mm, the estimate
is £2,000-3,000.

J. E. Caldwell manufactured jewellery in Philadelphia from the early 1840s, becoming the chosen agents of the women’s magazine ‘Godey’s Lady’s Book’, best known for its hand- tinted fashion plates, to fulfil jewellery orders placed by its subscribers. After receiving so many requests for jewellery designs, the editors began to include illustrations and descriptions of the latest jewellery fashions, suggesting that the purchases be made through
J. E. Caldwell & Co.

Along with Tiffany, Starr & Marcus and others, J. E. Caldwell & Co. exhibited at the 1876 Centennial Exhibitions in Philadelphia. The exhibition was in celebration of the nation’s birthday and designed to display the progress of the United States in arts, industry, science and commerce.

"Towards the end of the 19th century the firm manufactured beautiful Art Nouveau jewellery, set with unusual gemstones and of naturalistic design. They went on to create fine Art Deco jewellery throughout the 1920s for which they are still recognised today," said Noonans' Head of Jewellery, Frances Noble.

To this day, J. E. Caldwell & Co. continues to operate from its Chestnut Street location in Philadelphia.

Having begun his career with court jewellers Ellemeyer in Dresden, Herman
Marcus (1828-1899) emigrated to New York in 1850, where he joined Tiffany & Co., before moving to Ball, Black & Co. and then going into partnership in 1864 with Theodore Starr.
He eventually went into business with his son William and George Jacques, with the company being renamed Marcus & Co. after Jacques’ retirement in 1892.

Bringing his early training in Germany to bear on the company's designs, Herman and his colleagues exhibited over 40 pieces in the Society of Arts and Crafts in Boston in 1897.

Their craftsmanship produced some of the firm’s finest work at the dawn of the 20th century, with plique-à-jour enamels applied to Art Nouveau flower jewels, such as the example offered here at Noonans. The firm often used so called ‘neglected’ gemstones such as chrysoberyl, zircon, tourmaline, opal and peridot.

After Herman died in 1899, his sons continued working in the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts styles, while developing new ideas which reflected emerging fashions.

“In 1939 Marcus & Co. were one of only five jewellers to exhibit their jewellery designs in the ‘House of Jewels’ at the New York World Fair alongside Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Udall & Ballou and Black, Starr & Frost, showing the high level of prestige with which their jewellery was regarded,” said Frances Noble.

It was to be their zenith, with the firm being sold to Gimbells, the department store, in 1941. In turn, Gimbells merged with Black, Starr & Frost in 1962.

“Today, Marcus & Co. are considered one of the outstanding early 20th century American jewellers,” said Frances Noble.