Convertible diamond tiara, necklace and brooch

From the first half of the twentieth century, Lot 118 is a stunning convertible diamond tiara, necklace and brooch. Composed of tapered scroll and articulated links, it is set throughout with old European cut and rose cut diamonds.

The tiara dates from the 1920s and showcases how many family heirlooms have been adapted over the years. The family had it thoughtfully reworked in the 1960s to add a diamond chain and clasp for wear as a necklace and to make the central panel detachable for wear as a brooch. It is accompanied by copies of letters and the hand painted sketch by Garrard & Co. and is presented in a beautiful fitted case.

A rare crane brooch by Eugene Fontenay

We are also delighted to be offering a rare jewel by Eugene Fontenay, a late 19th century jadeite jade, ruby, diamond, pearl and enamel crane brooch, dating to circa 1860 (Lot 60). This beautiful piece was illustrated in its original form as a pendant by Henri Vever in French Jewellery Of The Nineteenth Century (Tr. Purcell, Katherine, London 2001, p. 645).

Eugene Fontenay (1823-1887) was born in Paris to a family of jewellers and was apprenticed under Marchand, followed by Dutreih, before opening his own business in 1847.

From 1860 to 1867 he was commissioned to create extravagant jewels for Kings and Shahs of the Orient and Middle East, including a lavishly bejewelled dinner service for the Viceroy of Egypt, as well as jewels for European royalty, including a diamond and emerald tiara for Empress Eugenie. He produced work in a number of different styles, later perfecting the Archaeological revival jewels so fashionable in the late 19^th century.

According to Henri Vever in his workshop “One can see jewelry set with pieces of ‘emerald green’ jade brought back from Peking after the town was captured by General Cousin-Montauban, Comte de Palikao. After the Chinese expedition of 1860, a number of jewels incorporated jade from the Summer Palace; this was apparently the first time that pieces of this very hard stone had been cut in Paris.” Vever couldn’t be more complimentary of Fontenay’s skill, calling him “a man of distinction and rare intelligence, of great discernment and impeccable taste”.

A George IV silver soup tureen and cover by Thomas Wimbush

The sale includes a range of silver from early antique pieces to contemporary silver for the dining table. One of the highlights includes an impressive soup tureen and cover by Thomas Wimbush which was presented to the Bosanquet family (Lot 14).

The Bosanquet family were Huguenot descendants of David du Mont de Bosanquet (1661-1732) born Lunel Languedoc-Roussillion, France, who fled to London in 1698, where he married Elizabeth Hays (1676-1737). The family were merchants and financiers and established themselves in England, with Richard Bosanquet (1735-1809) becoming a director of the East India Company, and Samuel Bosanquet (1744-1806) becoming the Governor of the Bank of England.

The armorial for the Bosanquet family has blazon, and the engraving shows the Bosanquet arms as a quarterly, ensuring that the Bosanquet family member who owned the arms were descendants of Samuel Bosanquet (1700-1765) and Mary Dunster (1712-1765).

Silver from the Collection of Pablo Bronstein

We are also pleased to present silver items from the private collection of Argentinian contemporary artist, Pablo Bronstein (Lots 17-40), which includes the second part of his collection of eighteenth century sugar casters. 

Designer Watches by Cartier, Rolex and More

The watch section contains a number of examples by Cartier, ranging from sports models in stainless steel to elegant dress watches in gold. The Santos Galbee ticks both boxes with its sporty gold case and diamond set bezel.

What would a watch sale be without examples from one of the most coveted brands, Rolex. The sale offers an opportunity to obtain modern models with long waiting lists, that are often displayed in boutiques with ‘Exhibition Only’ plaques such as The Rolex Sea Dweller.

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Auction Details

Thursday 7 March, 10.30am GMT
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

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VIEWING:

• Viewing in Newbury:
  • Saturday 2 March: 10am-3pm
  • Sunday 3 March: 10am-3pm
  • Monday 4 March: 10am-4pm
  • Tuesday 5 March: 10am-4pm
  • Wednesday 6 March: 10am-4pm
• Remote Viewing Service | Available from Saturday 2 March
• Light refreshments are usually available on viewing and sale days.