Sunday, March 4, 2012

A Day at the Museum

Am channeling Dash to share our recent visit to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and their exhibit of work by Jean Schlumberger - a French jewelry designer who was famous for his work at Tiffany &  Co. 

Elsa Schiaparelli hired him in the 1930's to design buttons for her clothing and later to costume jewelry for her design house.   After WWII he moved to New York where he designed clothing and jewelry.  In the mid-1950's he joined Tiffany & Co.


His clients were the A-list of royalty, Hollywood and politics, including the Duchess of Windsor, Greta Garbo, Gloria Vanderbilt and Jacqueline Kennedy.  His whimsical designs included birds, animals and flowers.  He worked in gold, precious stones and enamel in the style of Faberge.




A pectoral cross.

A box covered in peridots.

I'd love to keep my rings inside!

Who cares what time it is ...

when time is this beautiful?
You always use salt cellars, right?

The current exhibit at VMFA includes about 50 pieces from the collection of Mrs. Paul Mellon.  Small boxes, salt cellars, and objects, with only a few pieces of jewelry. 

I could have spent a week!

6 comments:

  1. Such. Skill. Kind of humbling when you see what the best craftsmen/women can achieve. Thanks for sharing your visit. x

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    1. Your work is totally different and just as good - altho I have to admit that all that gold is pretty stunning! Someday a Mrs. Mellon will be collecting your work, too.

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  2. How beautiful! I especially like the piece above the cross. Is it a bird? I bet it was breathtaking in person. Bonnie

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  3. What a fantastic show.

    I love that palm tree. Would look fabulous in my bedroom.

    xo Jane

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  4. That second picture is just spectacular. I don't generally like anything gold, but I'd display that in my house. :0)

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  5. I love hearing about your trips/life. Wish you had time to write more often. (I check every day). Love you. Elizabeth

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