← If Jewels Could Talk with Carol Woolton
If Jewels Could Talk with Carol Woolton
FROM FUNCTION TO FANTASY: THE BROOCH
00:46:28
with Katherine Purcell, Wartski
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Transcript95 lines
- [00:01]
A
This episode is brought to you by Leibish, the coloured diamond jewelry experts. Did you know that pink diamonds are amongst the rarest diamonds and over 90% came from the Argyle Mine in Australia, which closed in 2020?
- [00:22]
B
Well, to my mind, because they're the only jewel that actually doesn't touch the skin, you have to put it through something that can be pierced. The brooch is really the only jewel that can take any scale at all, from the most minute. And indeed the smallest brooch in the exhibition is a medieval brooch that is barely 1cm high, a little ring brooch right through to incredibly lavish body.
- [00:51]
A
I'm Carol Houlton, the voice of jewellery. Welcome to if Jules Could Talk. I'm an author and broadcaster and the woman who initiated the role of jewellery editor at magazines like Tatler and Vogue. This is a podcast for everyone, for people who do like jewellery, for people who don't realize they like jewellery, and anyone intrigued by fascinating facts, new ideas and forgotten histories. So join me as I tell sparkly tales and meet all sorts of people delving into four centuries of jewelry culture and investigate what's happening now. I'm so happy this morning to be able to give you a preview and sneak peek behind the scenes of what is going to be a blockbuster exhibition that's happening in October. It's called From Function to Fantasy, the Brooch. And I'm here with Catherine Purcell, who's co director of Wartsky in St James's in London and is the curator of this exhibition. Thank you, Catherine, for showing us this incredible exhibition.
- [02:05]
B
You're very welcome. Thank you for your interest.
- [02:08]
A
Well, we certainly are. It starts what, from 1200 BCE to contemporary Birches.
- [02:15]
B
That's correct, yes. 3,000 years span, which is quite ambitious, especially since Woerski specialises really in 19th and 20th century jewell. So this is way outside our normal remit and has required quite a lot of research.
- [02:32]
A
And literally, when I say up until contemporary brooches, one was specifically made for the exhibition.
- [02:38]
B
That's correct. In fact, the King's Trust competition winning brooch and bagata very kindly made a piece that's never been exhibited before, which is going to be part of the show.
- [02:51]
A
How incredible. And the oldest piece, could you tell us about that? That's a very hefty, huge Bronze Age.
- [02:59]
B
Indeed it is. It's 1200 BCE, it measures over 30cm high and it's extraordinarily sculptural and technically astonishing because the principal part of the jewel is made out of a single piece of continuous wire. So both the huge spiral at the top and the pin and catch element are made from the same wire. There are two additional pairs of wire work ornaments, if you like, but the functioning piece, rather like a very large safety pin, is made of a continuous piece of wire. So that is going to be one of the first pieces that you see as you enter the exhibition, because it's so huge and in fact, we're devoting an entire showcase to it.
- [03:50]
A
So that's extraordinary work to be able to do that.
- [03:54]
B
It is indeed. And in fact, given its scale, it would probably have been more a statement of status rather than anything functional, because it is incredibly heavy and it was probably found near a burial site, which would have been devoted to the higher status, buried with ornaments. Exactly, exactly. It is not actually the very first piece in the exhibition in terms of the layout in that. The introduction will be to show basically how ornament has never really changed, nothing is really new. So in our very first freestanding showcase, there will be a piece from a similar age, not quite the same scale, but juxtaposed with a spiral brooch made by Alexander Calder, which the VA are.
- [04:53]
A
Very kindly lending, showing that spiral work.
- [04:56]
B
Exactly.
- [04:57]
A
And that was his inspiration.
- [04:59]
B
It was. And indeed, in his writings, he talks about the importance of Bronze Age spirals. And the very first ring he gave to his wife to be was actually emblematic of a spiral on its bezel.
- [05:12]
A
So you're showing the inspiration and his work, which is now hugely valuable and collectible, isn't it?
- [05:19]
B
Yes, because there aren't that many jewels that he made, and in fact, they were really for people within his circle, so family members and friends. And the Calder estate knows exactly how many pieces were made altogether. But he started making jewelry simply as ornaments for his sister's dolls. Apparently, when he was young, he just took wire and played with it, if you like, and made decorative items out of it, out of them. Since then, of course, things have really spirited, spiralled. Exactly, exactly. They really have. And similarly, on that same panel, I'm going to be showing a Viking brooch, a penanular brooch, but next to it, I'm going to be showing a work by Waterhouse, which was bought by the VA at the 1851 Great Exhibition, which was based, if you like, on these penanular motifs. And at the time that Waterhouse exhibited their versions of them, they actually owned the original Tara brooch, which is now in the National Museum of Ireland. And so this was a great marketing ploy to have the original and the copies next to Them I will therefore be able to show that brooch, which also the V and a very kindly lending. And in addition, there's going to be a trio. The Viking one, the Waterhouse one, but also an example by Carl Faberge, I believe. There is only one other that takes this very kind of Celtic form, and this one is set with sapphires. The gold work is reeded, and it's very, very decorative. So that, if you like, is the real introduction to the exhibition, the juxtaposition of the old and the more modern interpretations.
- [07:10]
A
You quite clearly love brooches. People can't see at the moment, but we'll put some images up, but Catherine is wearing a beautiful contemporary moss agate brooch. So why did you pick brooches as a theme, as a subject for this?
- [07:24]
B
Well, to my mind, because they're the only jewel that actually doesn't touch the skin by definition, because you have to put it through something that can be pierced. The brooch is really the only jewel that can take any scale at all from the most minute. And indeed, the smallest brooch in the exhibition is a medieval brooch that is barely 1cm high, a little ring brooch right through to incredibly lavish bodice ornaments that could have been draped across the corsage. Indeed, they're called corsage ornaments. Some of them were fully articulated and could actually be dismantled into sets of six brooches. They're so big and very much a reflection of fashion as well. But also the quirkiness of brooches, I think, really appealed to me. I think if you see somebody wearing a brooch on their shoulder, you immediately think, oh, now this is somebody I'd like to get to know because she's obviously a quirky character. Or he, because many more men, thankfully, are wearing brooches as well now. I think it's that versatility that the brooch gives you. You can wear them singly, you can wear them in groups. I know some people who wear them thematically. They might show three botanical jewels at once or the animal kingdom. They might wear them around their neckline as a. As if they were a necklace, but pinned in the round. I think it's that input that the wearer can give the brooch and how they wear it that makes them interesting.
- [08:58]
A
So it's a sort of creative freedom in terms of the designer as well as the person who wears it.
- [09:04]
B
Exactly. It's the combination of both. And I think, especially when you look at the very ancient works and how astonishing they look to us now, and how modern In a way, there are so many different interpretations of geometric motifs, of botanical motifs, of materials that are used. I think the fact that even artists were interested in designing jewelry and brooches, from Burne Jones to Picasso, Salvador Dali and so on, shows that they felt the creation of these jewels was something they wanted to explore, as well as those skills they were famous for. Even architects such as Burgess and Putin, for example, whose works will be included in the exhibition, were interested in exploring the making of such jewels, turning their hand to jewellery.
- [10:02]
A
But specifically the brooch.
- [10:04]
B
Yes, the brooch that we're fortunate enough to be borrowing from the current Marquess of Bute. That was very much Burgess's first exercise in jewellery. And it was made to mark the wedding of that then marquis. And it takes the form of his wife to be his initial Gwendoline in the form of a G, but expressed very much in the Gothic taste. And in fact, possibly based on a portrait, which is now in the National Portrait Gallery, that was thought for a long time to be by Holbein, but in fact has been now almost proven to be of Catherine Parr, not Lady Jane Grey. Originally thought this is down to the inventory of her jewellery, but it was also taking the form of a crowned initial. And it's very possible that Burgess had the opportunity to see this painting while it was actually on view.
- [11:01]
A
So you've got how many pieces in.
- [11:03]
B
The exhibition of actual brooches? We have 250. There's a little bit more associated material, such as some images of people wearing them. So there's a great photograph of Mario Callas wearing the brooch that Van Cleef and Arpels are kindly lending to the show. We have photographs of portraits, for example, of Dame Ellen Terry wearing her very neo Gothic brooch. In the portrait of her by Sargent, which is in the Tate, there are various images associated with the loans that we're lucky enough to have.
- [11:40]
A
So the 250, how did you divide the exhibition? Was it by style, thematically or in terms of age?
- [11:50]
B
It does run pretty much chronologically. There is an early section. I've got an amazing group of zoomorphic brooches dating from about the first to third century, which have their extant enamel on them, which is quite astonishing. As well as two or three other groups of jewellery very kindly lent to us by Rupert Wace, whose private collection these are in. Then we actually have one properly medieval ring brooch, but we also have an assortment.
- [12:25]
A
So this is this tiny little one.
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B
Indeed.
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A
And how would somebody have worn that.
- [12:30]
B
Given how flimsy it is. It would have really secured just piece of muslin at the collar. Quite often they bear these hands, they're surmounted with hands that are either in prayer or in cupped form. And the prayer turns them in what's called a firdebroch, meaning faith. But if they're more of cupped form, they would have contained, for example, a little bead of coral or a pearl. They're quite often engraved with messages that make absolutely no sense at all. In fact, there is a parallel one in the VA that similarly makes no sense. Perhaps it did make sense to the gigantic whoever received it and the wearer. But they're very enigmatic, always in, yes, indecipherable script. Although actually the va. No, excuse me, the British Museum has a wonderful one with a legible script that basically is a message saying may nobody else touch this person's breast than this brooch, if you like. So very possessive message is in that one. Then there's quite a leap, if you like, to the 17th century. Both of these, I should say the smallest and this larger brooch are very kindly lent to us by Les Enlumineur. And the larger 17th century brooch, which astonishingly is signed and is made by a Transylvanian jeweler called Andreas Gorgias, is almost Morse like in its proportions. You can imagine this securing nowadays a bishop's cloak, if you like. Such is its scale, but it is so three dimensional and involves enamel and scrolls and glass and garments. It is an enormous object. It is very hefty. In fact, it was called a heftel in Transylvania. It is astonishing that it is actually signed. So to have a jewel of that date with a known maker is very rare indeed. And after that we really start exploring jewelry based on earlier styles. So for example, Neo medieval jewelry, for example, works designed by Hardman, who carried out an awful lot of work for Putin. As we know, there are works by other jewellers such as Falleise Castellani. We have one of his famous M brooches based on the new college founders jewel in the form of an M, which was a medieval jewel. We have other works based on items that were actually found during the building of the extension of the railway in Scotland on the Duke of Southern. And also, funnily enough, not just based on works that were found there, but also using the gold that was found there. At the same time. There was in the late 1860s a little known Scottish gold rush. Unbelievably, one or two pieces in the exhibition are made from the gold that was found there. Which is quite interesting. We then have actually an exploration of the various materials and techniques that were new to the 19th century as well. So the, the very recent use of aluminium, for example, when aluminium was regarded as more precious than gold. And we have early pieces made of platinum. We have works made of banded agates as well. Different uses of agates from the, for example, cameos to the striations of agates. Making this astonishing eye brooch, which is quite arresting, I would say, and almost surreal in its focus, really in its.
- [16:38]
A
Own entity, has something to say. It's either saying something about history, fashion, the way it was worn, style, revolutionary techniques. It's got something unique.
- [16:52]
B
That's right. They've been very carefully chosen. Even in the Neo Renaissance section, there are very different representations of that fashion, if you like. So Malaria in Paris is lending one of their early brooches and it's a kind of sable finish to the gold, roughened gold and sets with cascading precious stones, because these pampills or cascading elements were very much fashionable then. But equally well, we have a lozenge shaped pearl brooch and a sea scroll brooch by Faliz. We have brooches in the form of plumes with tied bows and so on, which were very much based on 16th and 17th century jewellery designs.
- [17:43]
A
Catherine, did you spend years drawing up a wish list of brooches? How did you know? How did you identify all these pieces?
- [17:53]
B
It did take about four years because just to have a list to approach a museum with potential loans. I already had to establish which areas I could represent otherwise from private collections that I was aware of, so that I wouldn't have to trouble the museums too much with too many loans. And so it did take at least two years to research before I then could go to the museums. And so very generously, not only is the VA lending, but also the Fitzwilliam Museum is lending two pieces that were significant to me. One is made by Carlo Giuliano and it will represent Charles Ricketts, the illustrator and artist, as a jewellery designer, as well as a brooch that almost inspired the exhibition for me, which is a very modest brooch. It belonged to Gertrude Stein, the huge collector and patron of French then avant garde artists. It is centred with a section of coral and it's got a silver mount. It was probably made for her by her brother. But its significance to me is when she was living in Paris and met her lifetime companion, Alice Tilclas. In her diaries, Alice writes that Gertrude Stein spoke to her from her brooch And I just thought this was such an astonishing vision and articulation that I was really, really keen to borrow this brooch. So it did have a particular significance to me and it intertwined with other sections of the exhibition because, as we know, she was a great patron of people like Picasso and Matisse and all these avant garde artists at that time. Picasso painted her wearing this coral brooch, which was of great importance to me. And she put that painting on the COVID of the book that she wrote about Picasso. And she writes about this brooch in the book and how she feels. It summarizes her completely, this portrait. The portrait was painted at a very key time when he was just starting to discover Iberian art. But he was actually in the process of thinking about the Demoiselle d'. Avignon. And it's fascinating because he painted this portrait of her in two stages. He actually fully painted her, then he completely blanked out her face, discovered the first display of Iberian art at the Louvre and then completed her face. Which is why her face has this very difficult to define stylistic impression about it, because it's not quite African art, it's not quite the masks that you see in the Demoisent d', Avignon, but nor is it a conventional representation at all of a vase. Because I studied history of art, this is of such interest to me and not just that. I am actually going to have in the exhibition, courtesy of Didier, a jewel designed by Picasso which is in the form of an African mask. So for me, this comes full circle, if you like. That's going to be in the other section of Artist Jewellery, where I'm fortunate to be able to exhibit not only a brooch designed by Picasso, but also another design by Braque with his famous bird motif. Another very rare extant piece of jewellery designed by Giacometti. Even more astonishing is a gold and ruby set brooch in the form of a hand designed by Salvador Dali, made by Schlumberger a few months before Tiffany then asked him to be their first external artistic designer. So it's at a very, very key moment. What's even more interesting is that it's the same year that Salvador Dali was to write his book about metamorphosis. And this hand shows its metamorphosis into foliate motifs. Basically, the top of the hand is turning into laurel leaves and twigs and the wrist is similarly formed. And astonishingly, I've got Salvador Dali's original design for this jewel and neither have ever been exhibited before.
- [22:43]
A
This is from a private owner.
- [22:45]
B
It's from A private owner.
- [22:46]
A
How did you know it was there?
- [22:48]
B
I didn't. What's even more amazing is the good luck I have had in organizing this exhibition because literally through word of mouth, people have got to hear about it. And I was literally offered this brooch and design. It is one of the stars of the show, so no way could I turn that down.
- [23:10]
A
So you've got representation of every artistic.
- [23:13]
B
Movement I have, I hope to have, because obviously from the Neo Renaissance, we then move on to the astonishing discovery, of course, of Japanese art. So there will be quite a strong section devoted to the significance of Japanese art. Iconography, motifs, the representation of different materials, such as bamboo, but in jewelry, the representation chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums. There'll be several chrysanthemums. In fact, there's going to be a very, very large pearl set chrysanthemum brooch lent by Thomas Farber, which again shows its influence of Japanese art because one of the blooms is shown frontly and the other one in the reverse, which would have been regarded as quite astonishing. That brooch was shown at the 1900 Paris Exhibition. But I'm also going to have a chrysanthemum brooch of glass made by Lalique, which the Schmuck Museum in Germany is lending. That's very much a transitional piece because he started introducing glass towards the end of his jewellery making career. There will also be an astonishing chrysanthemum being lent by Tiffany. That was early, wasn't it? It was early in their work. It's slightly after the astonishing display of orchids which was shown at the 1889 Paris Exhibition.
- [24:42]
A
And you've got a few of those, haven't you?
- [24:45]
B
Absolutely none, I believe, that come directly from that display, but some that were made within six months of that display and probably as a result of the success of that display, one very beautiful one we've actually got from a private collection. It's called a mignonette orchid and in fact it bears a French import mark so that we know that it was sold by Tiffany in the Paris shop. And as you can see as I'm holding it in my hand now, the detailing of the enamel work in that is just absolutely astonishing.
- [25:24]
A
Like a thousands of tiny, tiny blooms.
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B
On the one stalk and interspersed with tiny little diamond leaves contained in its original box. This is really an astonishing.
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A
So different to the Paulding Farnum design.
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B
Yes. Although almost an identical one was exhibited in the 1889 exhibition. There's an archival image of a work that looks to be exactly this one apparently doesn't bear the same stock number, so we know it's not that one, which is astonishing because it really does look like the one and only. But there are going to be two more conventional orchids, if you like. But they're very flamboyant in their own right, one from a private collector, one being lent by Tiffany themselves in the exhibition. And the orchids in 1889 was basically everything that every French periodical was talking about at the time. It really was the exhibition that got Tiffany noticed in Europe, if you like. Apart from those botanical motifs, we're also showing a section devoted to botanical studies, pre Japanism, if you like. So we are displaying an extraordinarily long trend de corsage by Baps de Fallise. But equally well, we're going to be showing a life size enamel lilac spray by Malario, which is in private hands.
- [26:59]
A
It's just the most beautiful thing in the world.
- [27:01]
B
It really is. It shows all the florets at different stages of their blossoming entirely through enamel, and even studying the slightly decaying leaves through enamel. That was shown at the 1862 London Exhibition and is recorded in engravings of the display there. We're also very fortunate in that the National Trust is lending to us a group of four 18th century diamond set brooches which have literally never been on display before. They're coming from Cork Abbey. Again, these came to me in such a fashion that was quite. It was a complete surprise. I had no idea of their existence, but I was told that they had survived. There is a family history associated with them which will be published by the conservator for the first time in the catalogue. And I'm very, very lucky indeed to be able to show early brooches such as those, as well as 19th century examples, things we haven't seen. Absolutely.
- [28:16]
A
It is such a treat.
- [28:17]
B
Yes.
- [28:18]
A
For jewellery lovers who listen to this quite a lot. And if we've all looked at books quite a lot, you sometimes see the same historical examples. So to see new things is really amazing.
- [28:33]
B
Yes, I think that that's what's so gratifying. It's not just pieces from private collections, but it is also works that exist more publicly, if you like, but there's never been an opportunity for Kolkaby to be able to show them in situ. So this will be their first outing, if you like, and quite a lot of people from the National Trust will be attending as a result, to see them juxtaposed with other works, if you like.
- [29:03]
A
Yes. And then I was Interested that you've got a section on pioneering women. So I thought that was very interesting indeed.
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B
So I'm not quite sure what order I identified these in, I have to say. But the very first brooch in that section will be Christabel Bankhurst's own brooch. Its design is attributed to the fantastic Arts and Crafts designer Ashby, and it's in the form of a spiral and it has the suffragette callows in its center. And there is a photograph of her wearing it in the National Portrait Gallery collection. And they very kindly allowed me to show a reproduction of her wearing it next to the brooch itself. I'm also very fortunate in being able to show, again, this is an interesting juxtaposition, a suffragette Holloway brooch, which takes the form of the portcullis of the Houses of Parliament. This was awarded to the suffragettes that went to Holloway prison for their actions, their militant actions, I should say. This belonged to a suffragette called Anna Lewis, who actually ended up being force fed and actually had trouble speaking normally for the rest of her life as a result. So this brooch in the form of a portcullis, is going to be juxtaposed with Betty Boothroyd's own gold and diamond set brooch, which takes exactly the same form which she wore in the House of Lords and a number of portraits. It was her favourite brooch, if you like, and it denoted her status as First Lady Speaker.
- [30:46]
A
Did she have it made?
- [30:48]
B
She did have it made.
- [30:49]
A
Do we know who, by the way?
- [30:51]
B
Do you know? I'm not sure who did make it, but she did have three or four of different materials, but that was her most lavish one, so it was marvellous to be able to represent her. I'm very fortunate in being able to borrow a brooch from Baroness Hale, Lady Hale, who was the first female judge the Free Supreme Court. Absolutely. So I'm thrilled to be able to borrow a brooch in the form of a spider, which was the very first in her collection.
- [31:22]
A
Not the famous spider?
- [31:26]
B
Not that famous or infamous spider? No, this is. This is the very first one, which was bought for her by her husband when she was appointed as a judge to the family courts. And he felt it was a way of enlivening her robe, if you like. It's the first one that then expanded into a larger collection of insects and other motifs as well.
- [31:54]
A
And the only reason we refer to it as being infamous is because she wore it when she gave the judgment of the Prorogium of Parliament being illegal against Boris Johnson's.
- [32:06]
B
Government.
- [32:06]
A
And everybody took it as a massive message that she was making, wearing the spider. So she became, for a while, a bit of a brooch trendsetter.
- [32:18]
B
She did. Although she did say after that event that it just happened to be on what she was wearing that day. It was not intended to speak a message. And it's quite fragile because it costs £12, I think, from a card shop. So I'm thrilled to be able to borrow the very first one that formed part of that collection. In the grand finale of that second is actually the brooch that Dame Judi Dench is very kindly lending, which I saw her wearing on one occasion and never forgot. And it's in the form of a diamond set, M, and it was given to her by Barbara Broccoli to mark her 80th birthday. Of course, Judi Dench played the M character, the first lady to do so in the Bond films. And the reason why it's particularly relevant to Wartsky is that Ian Fleming was actually one of our customers. He bought a couple of Faberge's cigarette cases from Watsky and as a result became a friend of Kenneth Snowman's, who was then the world expert and had already written his first book on Faberge, published in 1953. Ian Fleming was so taken with the experience of Wartsky that he actually wrote a story called the Property of a Lady, based on James Bond coming into Wortsky and asking for Kenneth Snowman's expertise, about a Faberge Imperial Easter egg. It was when we were located on Regent street, and Ian Fleming describes the interior of the shop completely accurately. And then the Faberge stock was actually kept downstairs. And he described being taken downstairs. Exactly the arrangement of the Faberge in the cases. He describes Kenneth Snowman, who gave me my job uncannily accurately. It's as if he were walking in front of me. It's astonishing. That's one episode of the short story. Then James Bond and Kenneth Snowman go to Sotheby's to witness the selling of this egg at auction. This was later on turned into a film called Octopussy, but the section connected with Kenneth Snowman was removed. However, apparently, Kenneth Snowman is one of the only real characters to have featured in an Ian Fleming book. So this is why I'm so super thrilled to be able to include this brooch in the exhibition. I did tell this story to Dame Judy, who thought it was just enchanting.
- [34:56]
A
I mean, it's stories within stories leading to more stories. Do you have a favorite piece in the exhibition or Is that too difficult?
- [35:05]
B
That is very difficult because they take so many different forms. Some of them are very impactful, some of them are very delicate. One of the most delicate looking will certainly be the extraordinary brooch by Oscar Massin, which was meant to represent lace but in diamonds. And he astonishingly showed prototypes for this in a showcase at the 1878 Paris Exhibition. You could literally buy diamond set elements to sew onto the edge of your sleeves and round your collar. And he sold them by the metre, needless to say, at an astonishingly high price. And there is an archival photograph showing the different patterns of lace and needlepoint work that you could buy in diamonds. And this is astonishing work because the metallic surface of the jewel has to be hand pierced, hand sawn to make this trellis work to represent the lace and then you have to make the settings to receive the little diamonds that are in the intersections. So technically, it is the most astonishing feat. We're very, very fortunate to be borrowing, courtesy of the Albion Art Jewellery Institute, a brooch that represents this work. And so it is one of the most fragile looking, ethereal pieces. But I am so extraordinarily thrilled to be able to represent this work by Oscar Maassin, whose name is not well known to people today simply because he didn't leave a dynasty to follow him, but who at the time not only was one of the most prominent jewelers in Paris, but was also supplying many of the most famous jewelers from Boucherme to Cartier to Melriot with his pieces. So a really unrecognized person, apart from the specialists who do know about his work. So I'm thrilled, thrilled beyond belief to be able to show this, this brooch. But I'm also so happy to be able to show this extraordinary tarantula brooch by Hemele, which, which has one of the largest horse conch pearls in the world set into it and which is set with 35 Sapphires that match it almost completely in colour that are called Zumba sapphires, which I'd never heard of before, but perfectly match the colour of the horse conch pearl. The legs are absolutely terrifying because they.
- [37:59]
A
Are so towards you.
- [38:01]
B
Exactly. The gold has been granulated and it has been set with cinnamon colored diamonds and white diamonds. It is huge and extremely heavy and.
- [38:13]
A
It'S about to eat. Dame Vivian Westwood's. What is this?
- [38:18]
B
18Th, 19th century, late 19th century, late.
- [38:21]
A
19Th Century Ruby and diamond spider. It's so sweet.
- [38:24]
B
And she used to wear that on her shoulder so one could see it really in profile. Because it's so three dimensional.
- [38:32]
A
And we've got a little nod to fashion. The Bulgari lollipop.
- [38:37]
B
Indeed.
- [38:37]
A
Somebody's eaten a chunk out of it. And the ice cream is diamonds. And I remember that collection when it came out, they launched it in Venice. And that's. You obviously see the fun in that.
- [38:48]
B
Exactly. I wanted to show something that was completely whimsical. We are going to have a whimsical section to the exhibition. This is something that everybody seems to respond to. It's the reason why I chose it for our flyer. But I very carefully did put private collection underneath. But the number of men and women who have wanted to buy this brooch from the flyer has been astonishing because it immediately brings a smile to your face. It has such a sense of fun about looks completely wearable. It has no age to it. It's just endlessly stylish. And I'm thrilled to have that in the exhibition, I really am. But as you say, the range is astonishing. In the more modern section that deals with techniques and materials, I'm very lucky to be borrowing a number of pieces from the Goldsmiths Company. So some of those are made of pebble white marble. I'm borrowing a very unconventional piece by Andrew Grima, set with ammonites. The work I'm borrowing from John Donald is actually to demonstrate iron pyrite. I'm borrowing from Kenwood, actually, some cut steel brooches, 18th century. I'm showing a shume rock crystal, enormous pore inlaid with onyx. So the techniques and materials will be examined both in the 19th and 20th and 21st centuries. Yes. The variety of works will be extraordinary because I've completely forgotten to mention that there will be a section devoted to royal brooches, a section devoted to French imperial pieces, including the fantastic ruby and diamond spray that belong to the Empress Josephine coming from the va. But Melleriot are lending a very beautiful peacock feather that was commissioned from the firm by the Empress Eugenie after she saw one displayed in the 1860s.
- [41:00]
A
So you have French, Russian, British royal pieces.
- [41:03]
B
Indeed. And then there will be an entire imperial Russian section, so including sets of brooches that belong to the Russian crown jewels that were worn by Catherine the Great, for example, but also works that were given by the tsarevich to his bride. To be one set with an amazing Siberian aquamarine and another set with a very beautiful and intense blue topaz.
- [41:38]
A
So now the other bonkers thing, apart from that you're just putting it on for 10 days, is it's free Anyone can come.
- [41:46]
B
It is free. We wanted to introduce, perhaps jewellery to people who might be timid about walking into galleries such as ours. I was always very timid as a youngster about walking into galleries that showed paintings, which was my initial area, and because of security and so on, it's not. One feels slightly anxious sometimes about walking into galleries where you have to be let in. I think it's very important, given how wide ranging this exhibition is, that it should attract everybody, from young artists to fashion designers to people who might be interested in coming simply because they want to see Sarah Bionhart's brooch, which is coming from the Garratt Club, as well as more glamorous and surprising jewellery. There will be some jewellery arranged and themes. I completely forgot to say that there are going to be 21 brooches designed on the theme of the Catherine Wheel, entirely commissioned by one person. That's going to be a very kind of quirky element to the exhibition as well. But as you say, it's very important. We felt it was very important. It should be free. It is going to mark our 160th anniversary. But that said, all the catalogue receipts are in aid of the King's Trust. The last exhibition I curated on Japanism was the first that we actually organised to benefit the King's Trust. This exhibition, I wanted to create something that was going to be a bit more engaging. So I had the idea of organizing a competition in collaboration with the King's Trust that would involve young artists, jewelers whose businesses had been launched with funds from the King's Trust.
- [43:39]
A
And what material did the winner choose?
- [43:41]
B
In fact, she did choose mother of pearl and gold. And it's called Life Breaks Through Rocks. It's about using the obstacles that one encounters in one life in a positive way. So through these rocks that are represented by mother of pearl sections, she has got little buds emerging, made of gold and of seed pearls. So it's very symbolic. It was very important to her at the stage of her life that she was in. This is an opportunity for her to show her latest work, specially made for.
- [44:21]
A
This edition, with a thought and idea and theme behind it.
- [44:24]
B
Exactly.
- [44:26]
A
And it obviously juxtaposes with the warrior, like, massive Bronze Age one that you have at the beginning.
- [44:34]
B
Exactly, exactly. And so the winner's name is Ruth Chipperfield. Yes. Life Breaks through the Rocks was very much something that she wanted to represent in jewellery.
- [44:46]
A
And I'm glad that we're able to stream this early because I think there'll be people around the world who will want to make sure if they're coming to London that they coincide with this exhibition. Tell me the dates again. It's October 1st.
- [44:59]
B
October 1st to October 12th, 10:30 to 5:00pm and we're open every day including Saturdays and Sundays.
- [45:09]
A
Amazing. And thank you so much for giving us a little preview, Catherine. I so appreciate it.
- [45:15]
B
Absolutely.
- [45:16]
A
And congratulations.
- [45:17]
B
Thank you.
- [45:25]
A
Thank you for listening. For this and other episodes of if Jules Could Talk, please go to our website carolwalton.com you can find me on Instagram Arolwalton and we'll share images of what we talk about on the Instagram and our YouTube channel so you can join us there as well. And don't forget, the book of the podcast is out. If Jules could talk, join me again soon. Soon I'll be talking about one of the most stylish but ill fated queens in history. We'll be talking about her lasting influence and legacy. So do join me then and thank you for joining me today and see you soon. Bye. Bye. If Jules Could Talk with Carol Walton is produced by Natasha Cowen Music and editing by Tim Thornton Graphic by Scott Bentley Illustration by Jordi labander.