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Lot 175 From porcelain services to landscape paintings, natural motifs are a recurring theme in The Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller. Their love of nature’s wonders is especially evident in their jewelry collection. For this reason, the Rockefellers were drawn to Jean Schlumberger’s mesmerizing designs, which heavily featured flora and fauna of the natural world.
In an April 1982 Connoisseur interview with former Metropolitan Museum of Art Director, Thomas Hoving, Schlumberger described his design process as stemming from his desire to “capture the irregularity of the universe” and to “observe nature and find verve.” From richly colored oceanic jewels to whimsical floral gems, the Rockefellers chose jewelry designed by Schlumberger that reflected their enjoyment of garden landscapes and the sea. The shell motifs adorning lots 184 and 185 serve as reminders of the Rockefellers’ beloved seaside home on Mount Desert Island, Maine.
In 1956, Schlumberger began designing for Tiffany & Co. under his own name. His enchanting creations attracted such celebrated clients as the Duchess of Windsor, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy and the Rockefellers. The pieces Schlumberger would make in collaboration with Peggy and David Rockefeller are both visually stunning and deeply sentimental. Later, Tiffany & Co. selected the Rockefellers’ ‘Sea Shells’ Bracelet (Lot 185) and ‘Leaves and Flowers’ Bracelet (Lot 175) for inclusion in their 1981 retrospective exhibition on the artist.
THE COLLECTION OF PEGGY AND DAVID ROCKEFELLER
In an April 1982 Connoisseur interview with former Metropolitan Museum of Art Director, Thomas Hoving, Schlumberger described his design process as stemming from his desire to “capture the irregularity of the universe” and to “observe nature and find verve.” From richly colored oceanic jewels to whimsical floral gems, the Rockefellers chose jewelry designed by Schlumberger that reflected their enjoyment of garden landscapes and the sea. The shell motifs adorning lots 184 and 185 serve as reminders of the Rockefellers’ beloved seaside home on Mount Desert Island, Maine.
In 1956, Schlumberger began designing for Tiffany & Co. under his own name. His enchanting creations attracted such celebrated clients as the Duchess of Windsor, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy and the Rockefellers. The pieces Schlumberger would make in collaboration with Peggy and David Rockefeller are both visually stunning and deeply sentimental. Later, Tiffany & Co. selected the Rockefellers’ ‘Sea Shells’ Bracelet (Lot 185) and ‘Leaves and Flowers’ Bracelet (Lot 175) for inclusion in their 1981 retrospective exhibition on the artist.
THE COLLECTION OF PEGGY AND DAVID ROCKEFELLER
AN AQUAMARINE AND DIAMOND 'LEAVES AND FLOWERS' BRACELET, BY JEAN SCHLUMBERGER, TIFFANY & CO.
Closed12 June 2018
Price Realised
USD 250,000