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Phillips Will Hold Its First Geneva Jewelry Auctions This Year
The auction house credited strong 2021 and 2022 jewelry sales for the expansion.
This Tiffany & Co. onyx, enamel, rock crystal, jade, and diamond desk timepiece from the 1920s is a highlight of a collection of rare Art Deco objects that will be auctioned at Phillips Geneva in its first jewelry auctions at the location.
Geneva—Phillips will hold its first Geneva jewelry auctions on Nov. 6.
The auction house is expanding its global jewelry sales after the category earned “historic” sales total in 2021 and 2022, Phillips said.
In fall 2022 alone, jewelry sales increased 185 percent by value from spring of that year.
The inaugural Geneva jewelry auctions span a private collection and multi-owner sale.
The former will include several Art Deco objects among the 120-plus lots that showcase the various styles and artistic attitudes of the eras. Rare boxes, vanity cases, timepieces, and objects will be on offer from makers like Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Raymond Templier, Boucheron, Lacloche Frères, and Tiffany & Co.
Leading the sale is a Tiffany & Co. onyx, enamel, rock crystal, jade, and diamond desk timepiece from the 1920s (pictured at top of article). It’s expected to sell for approximately $70,000-$116,000, per current exchange rates.
Items from Cartier and Lacloche Frères among others will highlight the influence Chinese and Japanese art had on the Art Deco movement worldwide, whether in motifs like dragons, pagodas, and Asian landscapes, or materials such as jade, onyx, coral, and amber.
Further showcasing the mix of cultural influences of the period are examples of Persian- and Islamic-inspired objects, inspired by geometric motifs, patterns, and fabrics.
Scaling geometric forms back to their most simplified, Modernist versions are vanity cases in silver, gold, lacquer, and enamel from Paul Brandt and Gérard Sandoz, while elaborate floral motifs are depicted in works by Boucheron and Ostertag and Strauss.
See: Phillips Geneva’s Art Deco Object Highlights
Cartier enamel and gem-set vanity case, 1920s (pre-sale minimum estimate $46,585)
Gérard Sandoz enamel vanity case from the 1920s ($5,823-$9,316)
Boucheron enamel vanity case, 1920s ($13,976-$20,964)
Cartier mother-of-pearl, enamel, and diamond vanity case ($23,289-$34,934)
“We are privileged to bring such a rare and comprehensive Art Deco collection to the market,” said Phillips Worldwide Head of Jewelry, Benoît Repellin, who was appointed to the role this year as part of Phillips’ emphasis on jewelry.
He continued, “This lovingly assembled collection pays homage to the discerning eye of the collector, who thoughtfully selected the finest jewelry houses and designers of the Art Deco period, capturing the diverse styles and trends of the era, from elaborate and bejeweled designs to those with clean lines and geometric forms by Jean Després and Raymond Templier. We are excited about the continued growth and expansion of our Jewels department, and we look forward to presenting these extraordinary pieces to collectors and connoisseurs."
The Art Deco collection will be on view in Geneva from Oct. 31-Nov. 5 ahead of the Nov. 6 sale.
The multi-owner auction will feature diamonds, gemstones, and vintage and modern jewelry from houses like Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels.
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