Brooch
1952-3 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Mitchel Maer produced high quality costume jewellery for Christian Dior between 1952 and 1956. Two variants of the cherub musical brooches, containing mechanisms by Reuge of Sainte-Croix in Switzerland, are known - this style and one with floral ornament. This brooch, which when wound up plays 'La Vie en Rose', was acquired by its original owner in 1952 or 1953.
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Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Gilt metal, glass and imitation pearls, with a musical mechanism |
| Brief description | Musical brooch of gilt metal, glass and imitation pearls, Christian Dior by Mitchel Maer, England, 1952-3 |
| Physical description | Two cherubs hover above a rectangular box of gilt metal which contains a musical mechanism that plays 'La Vie en Rose' and is set with a large oval cabochon of purple glass surrounded by eight imitation pearls. The cherubs hold between them an imitation baroque pearl from which descends a short connecting length of flattened chain. Made in two halves, the box's front and back have a surface patterning of fine lines with alternating stars and dots, and are held together with a screw on the bottom edge. At the back is a winder to start the mechanism and a push button to stop it. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Christian Dior by Mitchel Maer
REUGE STE-CROIX |
| Credit line | Given by Leona Bannar-Martin in memory of her mother Marguerite Kitson |
| Summary | Mitchel Maer produced high quality costume jewellery for Christian Dior between 1952 and 1956. Two variants of the cherub musical brooches, containing mechanisms by Reuge of Sainte-Croix in Switzerland, are known - this style and one with floral ornament. This brooch, which when wound up plays 'La Vie en Rose', was acquired by its original owner in 1952 or 1953. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.36-2018 |
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| Record created | November 16, 2018 |
| Record URL |
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