Yellow gold money clip

Reproducing Jean Cocteau's hand writing with the words 'ne pleurez pas', 'don't cry', to one side and 'je reviendrai', 'I will return', to the reverse, Italian assay and maker's marks.

Cf: Sylvie Raulet & Olivier Baroin, Suzanne Belperron, 2011, page 24 for an illustration of this clip.

This lot is offered without a reserve. Stamped with Italian assay marks for gold. Signs of normal wear to the metal, scratches consistent with use. In good condition. 40 grams.
"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."

Born in a small town outside Paris on July 5^th 1889, Jean Maurice Eugene Clement Cocteau became one of the most important members of the French avant-garde movement. At a young age he immersed himself in the Bohemian circles of Paris, associating with writers and artists such as Marcel Proust, André Gide, Modigliani and Pablo Picasso. Following World War I, Cocteau worked with several of his contemporaries. He wrote the scenario for the ballet Parade (1917), which was produced by Serge Diaghilev, for which the sets were designed by Picasso, the libretto by Guillaume Apollinaire, and the music by Erik Satie. Like so many gifted artists whose talents fell nothing short of genius, Cocteau was drawn to many art forms. In 1929 he authored the novel Les Enfants terribles. He wrote the play Le Bel Indifférent starring his close friend Edith Piaf in 1940, and in 1946, he directed one of the world's most acclaimed films, La Belle et la Bête, followed by Orphée in 1950.

Following the death of his friend the French novelist Colette in 1954, he was offered her position in the Royal Academy of Belgium, and shortly thereafter was made a member of Académie française, just two of several honours and awards he was to receive during his lifetime. Cocteau's works would subsequently prove to be highly influential for successive generations of artists, including that of Andy Warhol. In the last decade a great resurgence of interest has emerged for Cocteau's work, as evidenced by the massive retrospective at the Centre Pompidou in Paris (2003). The Jean Cocteau Museum opened its doors in November 2011 in Menton, France.

Cocteau died of a heart attack at the age of 74. It is said that upon hearing of the death of Edith Piaf, a mere three hours earlier, his heart failed. The epitaph on his gravestone reads: Je reste avec vous, 'I stay with you'.