Woman to Woman: A Powerful Voice in Jewellery
The First Exhibition in a New Collaborative Series Between Phillips Flawless and Vivarium by Vivienne Becker
Showcasing Unique Pieces from Iconic 20th and 21st Century Female Jewellery Designers
10 MAY 2021 – Phillips is pleased to announce Woman to Woman, the first private selling event in a new collaborative series between Flawless, Phillips’ private jewellery sales department, and Vivarium by Vivienne Becker. The three-week event running from 10 to 31 May combines a selling exhibition with illuminating talks and discussions highlighting how women have influenced and shaped the modern world of jewels. The selling exhibition showcases 42 exceptional pieces by 15 leading female designers of the 20th and 21st centuries, from contemporary stars such as Solange Azagury-Partridge, Feng J, and Silvia Furmanovich, through to renowned icons including Suzanne Belperron, René Boivin, Paloma Picasso, and Marina Bulgari.
Paul Redmayne, Phillips Head of Private Sales, Jewellery, said, “It has been an honour to work with Vivienne Becker on this inaugural selling exhibition with Vivarium. The depth of Phillips Jewels and Vivienne’s relationships, knowledge and expertise is self-evident in the present collection which is led by an iconic museum-quality “Chocolate Squares” bracelet designed by Suzanne Belperron in 1929. It was hugely important to us to present a collection that shows the breadth and diversity of ground-breaking female designers over the last 120 years and here we have an exquisite selection that offers something for everyone.”
This curated selection of jewels – past and present – is led by the exceptionally rare Chocolate Bracelet by Suzanne Belperron. Designed by Belperron when she was still in her 20s and produced by the celebrated French jeweler René Boivin in 1929, this black-onyx square bracelet is the ultimate expression of the Art Deco Style, and a seminal example of Belperron's early work. Boivin is considered one of the finest of the French Jewelers, and Belperron was their top designer from 1919 to 1932. The Chocolate Bracelet is a museum quality modernist, timeless object and a Holy Grail of Art Deco collectibles, as well as being a superb piece of wearable jewellery.
Phillips is delighted to partner with jewellery writer, historian and journalist Vivienne Becker, starting with this exhibition that has been curated for Flawless. This coincides with a rich programme of educational and entertaining talks and events, including Vivienne Becker in individual conversations with the contemporary designers, a peek inside the designers’ studios, as well as discussions around the over-arching topic of female jewellers, and their clients, and why this selling exhibition is so important at a time of Female Empowerment.
Graeme Thompson, Phillips Worldwide Head of Jewellery, said, “Having known Vivienne for many years, it makes me extremely happy to launch the partnership between Phillips Flawless and Vivarium. The synergies of our collaboration are extremely powerful because, together, we share the same vision, passion and objective to promote the very best contemporary jewellers from around the world, whilst preserving the historical context of jewels from the past.”
Vivienne Becker said, “It’s very exciting to be working with Phillips Flawless on this first collaborative event, a themed and curated private sales exhibition, in which the jewels are brought to life through cultural, social and historical context. Phillips is a leader in 20th century art, and our aim is to present the best of 20th and 21st century jewellery in the same way, as important contemporary collectible design. It is also a wonderful opportunity for me to share jewellery history – that I so love - in a very different, and hopefully entertaining way, and to tell the fascinating story of women in jewels.”
ABOUT PHILLIPS
Phillips is a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century art, jewels and design. With dedicated expertise in the areas of 20th Century and Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions, Watches, and Jewellery, Phillips offers professional services and advice on all aspects of collecting. Auctions and exhibitions are held at salerooms in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, while clients are further served through representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States and Asia. Phillips also offers an online auction platform accessible anywhere in the world. In addition to providing selling and buying opportunities through auction, Phillips brokers private sales and offers assistance with appraisals, valuations, and other financial services.
Source: phillips.com
