Sotheby’s Geneva will offer the jewellery collection of one of the most important jewellery designers of the 20th century: Suzanne Belperron (1900?1983), in its sale of Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels on 14 May 2012
Comprising over 60 lots, this unprecedented sale features the most significant collection of jewels by Suzanne Belperron in private hands. The jeweller’s personal collection includes some of her most celebrated designs and very intimate items which illustrate her unique style and creative virtuosity, while also shedding light on her life.
One of the few female jewellery designers and makers of her time, Suzanne Belperron dedicated her life to the art of jewellery, starting her career at René Boivin in 1919. After having contributed to the success of the “Maison Boivin”, in 1932 through her association with Bernard Herz, she found the perfect framework within which to develop her unique style. Her daring creations remain today of an extraordinary modernity and continue to influence contemporary jewellers.
From the 1930s to the mid]1970s, Suzanne Belperron never stopped creating jewels. Her creations appeared in the most influential fashion magazines of the time, including Vogue and Harperfs Bazaar, and were featured by major photographers such as Cecil Beaton, George Hoyningen] Huene and Horst P. Horst. Her prestigious cosmopolitan clientele consisted of royal families, aristocrats, industrial tycoons, financial magnates, Hollywood stars, as well as members of the intellectual and artistic elite. It was not rare to see in Suzanne Belperronfs Parisian private salons at 59, rue Chateaudun, the Duke and the Duchess of Windsor, Colette, Jean Cocteau, Nina Ricci, Jeanne Lanvin, Elsa Schiaparelli or Gary Cooper.
Suzanne Belperron never signed her jewels, considering that their originality made them immediately identifiable. Similarly, she never opened a boutique, relying on the word?of?mouth of her prestigious clients and receiving them exclusively on appointment.
The pieces that Suzanne Belperron designed for herself are emblematic of her oeuvre. They reflect her many sources of inspiration and innovative approach to jewellery, which constitute the essence of her work.