GEM-SET AND DIAMOND HAIR ORNAMENT/BROOCH, ANDREA MOLINARI

The silk covered hair band embellished to the front with a green ruff centring on a jewel designed as a frog pavé-set with brilliant-cut tsavorite garnets and accented with cabochon ruby-set eyes, perching on a lily-pad similarly-set with circular-cut stones including hessonite and tsavorite garnets, highlighted with brilliant-cut diamonds, jewel detachable, can be worn as a brooch, signed Andrea Molinari, maker's marks, cased.

Garnets in frog well matched deep vivid green, garnets in lily pad mixed colours from orangy brown to vivid yellow, singed AM to pin hinge and catch stamped 750 for 18ct gold, signed in full to reverse and applied with circular disc engraved AM stamped 18k for 18ct gold, some fine abrasions to reverse. Further accompanied by an additional black hair band and a green leather collar. In good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Please note that colour, clarity and weight of gemstones are statements of opinion only and not statements of fact by Sotheby's. We do not guarantee, and are not responsible for any certificate from a gemological laboratory that may accompany the property. We do not guarantee that watches are in working order. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue, in particular to the Notice regarding the treatment and condition of gemstones and to the Notice regarding import of Burmese jadeite and rubies into the US.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Andrea Molinari is a contemporary jewellery designer he was born in Rome, Italy in 1956.  Molianri studied Art History at Sarah Lawrence college.  His father Mario Molinari was in the jewellery trade with an office on Rome's Via Condotti, the clientele included the Marquise Camillo Casati Stampa, the film director Sergio leone and producer Carlo Ponti.  For many years Andrea worked as a private dealer in the Rockefeller Center in New York.  He moved to Rome in the 1990s to study the art of jewellery manufacture and worked for the atelier of Costantinos Preponis a Greek jeweller with a shop in via dell 'Orso near Piazza Navona.  Molinari's creations are bold and colourful using a variety of stones and mixing colours. These unusual pieces take months to develop and have small or limited editions with a maximum of six.  Reoccurring themes include, frogs and flowers such as orchids and chrysanthemums working from drawings and wax models from nature.