Brooch thumbnail 1
Brooch thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Brooch

1950-1960 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This brooch, of a stylized African head, was made around the time when France's colonial domination of large areas of Africa was coming to an end. Its inspiration was probably a mask of carved wood, and it shows the vogue for figurative jewellery during the 1950s and '60s.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Gold, chalcedony, coral and a diamond
Brief description
Brooch in the form of a head; gold chalcedony, coral and diamond, by Cartier, Paris 1950-1960
Physical description
Brooch in the form of an African head carved of white chalcedony, with gold and coral detailing and a single diamond set above the nose.
Dimensions
  • Height: 4.1cm
  • Width: 3.3cm
  • Depth: 1.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Eagle's head French restricted guarantee mark for gold (On gold back.)
  • 'Cartier Paris' (Engraved on gold back.)
  • 01839 (On gold back.)
  • Eagle's head French restricted guarantee mark for gold (On back of both prongs of clip.)
  • Lozenge mark (On back of one prong of clip.)
Credit line
Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of Patricia Goldstein
Subjects depicted
Summary
This brooch, of a stylized African head, was made around the time when France's colonial domination of large areas of Africa was coming to an end. Its inspiration was probably a mask of carved wood, and it shows the vogue for figurative jewellery during the 1950s and '60s.
Other numbers
  • LOAN:AMERICANFRIENDS.199-2003 - Previous loan number
  • 155 - Goldstein Collection number
Collection
Accession number
M.152-2007

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Record createdJanuary 16, 2008
Record URL
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