Cartier

Rare gem set and diamond brooch, 'Flamant', circa 1988-1989

VAT applies to hammer price and buyer's premium

Auction Closed

May 14, 05:29 PM GMT

Estimate

100,000 - 150,000 CHF

Lot Details

Description

Designed as a flamingo, the plumage set with calibré-cut rubies, sapphires and emeralds, the beak enhanced with a polished yellow sapphire and sapphire, the eye decorated with a polished sapphire, the neck, body and hinged legs pavé-set with brilliant-cut diamonds, signed Cartier, numbered, maker's marks for Cartier, French import marks for platinum, fitted case stamped Cartier.

Accompanied by the original Cartier design drawing, a Cartier certificate of authenticity, copies of two Cartier invoices, dated 3 January 1988 and 3 January 1989, and a copy of a Cartier insurance valuation, dated 8 October 1993.

The Duchess of Windsor’s legendary Cartier Flamingo brooch

This brooch is a recreation of the iconic flamingo brooch which Cartier designed for the Duchess of Windsor in 1940. It was a highly stylized and unusual jewel, combining both the figurative and the geometric. Its bold use of colour and atypical choice of subject matter, make it one of Cartier’s most distinct and instantly recognisable creations.

The brooch was delivered to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor only a few days before they left the French capital ahead of the German invasion. Via Spain and Portugal, the Duke and Duchess travelled to Nassau in the Bahamas where the Duke took on the role of governor for the duration of World War II. Upon arrival in Miami, en route to Nassau, the Duchess wore her brand-new Cartier flamingo brooch when greeting the crowds. She paired it with a now-famous bi-corned hat, one of her boldest and most iconic fashion choices.

The flamingo brooch was one of the star lots in Sotheby’s landmark sale of the Duchess of Windsor’s Collection in 1987 and was again offered at Sotheby's London in November 2010 in a sale that re-united several highlights from the Duke and Duchess' collection. Today, the original flamingo brooch is part of the Cartier heritage collection and is frequently featured it in exhibitions all over the world.