A celebration of evolving taste, told through the stories behind 250 objects sold by the world's leading auction house Founded in London in 1766, Christie's is one of the most important auction houses in the world. During its history, Christie's has sold masterpieces by artists such as Picasso, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Vincent van Gogh, often at record-breaking prices; and, away from the world of art, the personal possessions of such well-known figures as Napoleon Bonaparte, Marilyn Monroe, Yves Saint Laurent, and Princess Diana. From furniture to works of fine and decorative art, vintage cars to clothing and jewellery, the items sold at its auctions hold a mirror to our history and reflect our culture at large. Going Once vividly brings to life the shifts in aesthetic trends, fashion, and design over the centuries, showcasing 250 of the most outstanding objects in its storied history - including some of the very first pieces sold at the auction house.
- Compiled with full access to Christie's famous archives - Reveals the romance, drama, intrigue - even danger - attached to some of the world's most storied jewels - Expertly curating Christie's extensive archives, Vincent Meylan has drawn out the key details of each momentous sale - Stories of the world's great jewelry collections For centuries, the stories of the world's great jewelry collections have lain hidden within the archives of Christie's, the celebrated auctioneers. From the tragic European queens, Mary, Queen of Scots and Marie Antoinette - both beheaded - to Hollywood royalty such as Elizabeth Taylor, the vaults sparkle with the most famous (and occasionally notorious) names of the last 250 years. Following on from the success of his books on Boucheron: The Secret Archives, Van Cleef & Arpels: Treasures and Legends and Mellerio: Jewellers to the Queens of Europe, author Vincent Meylan explores these remarkable jewelry archives, revealing the mysteries within for the first time. Each sale had its intrigue, each its story to tell. The first auction of jewelry from the British royal family took place at Christie's in 1773, after the death of the Princess of Wales, mother of George III. As the archives reveal, in the subsequent centuries, Christie's has been party to the sale of jewelry by several further generations of British royals, from Lady Patricia Ramsay and the Countess of Southesk through to Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. And, in the wake of revolution and regicide further afield, the crown jewels of France, Russia, Bavaria, Serbia, Egypt, India and Spain were all sold at Christie's. Aside from Elizabeth Taylor, the legendary movie star collections of Merle Oberon and Gloria Swanson are also revealed here, as well as the most famous pearls and diamonds in the world; each explored within the context of their owners' remarkable lives. Expertly curating the extensive archives, Vincent Meylan has drawn out the key details of each momentous sale. Original documents from the vaults are reproduced in the book, alongside hundreds of color illustrations of the jewels and their owners.
This edition has 65 new images, making a total of 500. The original configurations were altered so that there is only one species per plate. The text is a revision of the Ornithological Biography, rearranged according to Audubon's Synopsis of the Birds of North America (1839).
From modest beginnings in Paris to predominance in the world of high fashion, the rise of the house of Cartier is comprehensively chronicled in this lavish volume. In the 1980s Cartier granted Hans Nadelhoffer exclusive access to its archives in order to write the definitive history. Long out of print, Nadelhoffer's exhaustive research has been revived with lush new photography and design sketches of the world's most distinctive and finely crafted jewelry. Through charming and compelling anecdotes, these famed gemsand the elite clientele who don themare brought to life. This fully illustrated account is the essential complement to any jewelry lover's collection, and will satisfy the longings of all those who covet this legendary brand.
Called "the Fabergé of our time" by Diane von Furstenberg, Joel A. Rosenthal, who works in Paris under the name JAR, is one of the most acclaimed jewellery designers of the past thirty years. JAR is known for his use of precious and semi-precious stones resplendent with myriad shades of vibrant colour and set in organic shapes: one brooch, for instance, features lifelike petals in subtly differentiated hues, made from a thousand pavé sapphires and amethysts. The New York Times has described his jewellery as "belligerent, stubborn, audacious, funny, contradictory", while JAR himself has characterised his work as "somewhere between geometry and a bouquet of flowers". This book, featuring nearly 70 pieces from throughout JAR's career, provides a concise, accessible, elegantly designed retrospective of the best of his jewellery creations, and is the only book of its kind on his work available in English.
"...an enduring record of the most remarkable jewellery sale of our time, each piece of the Windsor collection is fully described not only im gemological terms but also in relation to the lives of the celebrated couple"--book jacket flap.
From the dawn of time, ruby and sapphire have both attracted and fascinated humans in ways that few other items could.While objects of desire are found throughout the natural world, physical beauty is too often ephemeral. From the allure of a man, woman, flower or butterfly, through the fleeting moments of a sunset, there is little that lasts and practically nothing that can be passed down to our descendants. The exception is precious stones. Not only are they the most durable creations of mother nature, but their visual splendor is truly eternal.In this companion to his 2013 book, Ruby & Sapphire--A Collector's Guide, Richard Hughes examines these gems from the gemological standpoint, delving into these gems not just from the aesthetic, but also from the scientific point of view.The product of nearly 40 years of firsthand experience, it covers every aspect of the subject from A-Z. History, sources, prices, quality analysis, synthetics and treatments, everything is here. Ruby & Sapphire--A Gemologist's Guide represents the most comprehensive book ever written on a single precious stone. With over 1000 photos, maps and illustrations and 3500 references, it is nothing less than a tour-de-force of gemological scholarship.
William Kennedy (1814–1890) was an explorer and fur trader. In 1851 he was recommended to Lady Franklin as the commander of her second sponsored expedition in search of her husband, Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin (1786–1847), who had not returned from his 1845 expedition to chart the remaining unexplored section of the Arctic and the Northwest Passage. This volume, first published in 1853, contains Kennedy's account of his 1851 Arctic expedition to rescue Sir John Franklin. Written in the form of a diary, Kennedy describes in detail the hazardous conditions of the Arctic. The crew's experiences including snow blindness, frostbite, scurvy and explorations of land on foot accompanied by Husky dogs are described in detail. Kennedy's use of Inuit survival methods and the type of provisions which were used are also described, providing valuable insights into early nineteenth century methods of Arctic exploration.
