Bijoux de Stars - Americain jewels
Musée Carnavalet
Musée Carnavalet, 23, rue Sévigné, 75003. Until 7
may 2006.
Presented by the National Jewelry
Institute of New York, this rich exhibition reveals us on the other
side of the Atlantic several treasures of American jewelry very
representative of the show business spirit of the famous
customers. 200 exceptional pieces signed by Tiffany, Harry Winston or Van Cleef &
Arpels are shown in the Carnavalet Museum. They carry inside them
the memory dazzling stars such as Joan Crawford, Grace Kelly, Loretta
Young, the Duchess of Windsor, Jackie Kennedy among others. If
the exhibition spans two centuries, end XVIIIth at end XXth, the most
spectacular pieces were made up between 1930 and 1960, golden age of
the American media power. A ballerina of platinum and gold,
inspired by the dancer Anna Pavlova was thus ordered by the Balanchine
choreographer to Van Cleef. This exhibition traveled to Moscow
and London before coming to Paris. The influence of France, its
creators and dressmakers, is unquestionably found in many jewels.
The influence of nature, in particular at the time Art nouveau gave
birth to some exceptional flowers, such as these pins orchids presented
by Tiffany at the World Fair of 1889 and sold in a few days.
Typically American, few jewels are dedicated to the sport, specially
baseball. Others celebrate an event such as this watch
commemorating the flight of Wilbut Wright above New York on September
30, 1909.
