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Couture Montague 1950s French WiredGlassBeads CrystalEnameledRondelles Earrings
About the Item
In the 1950s while he operated an eponymous Parisian couture costume-jewelry boutique, Francoise Montague designed these unique handmade ornate pair of sparkly clip earrings featuring black faceted-glass beads, prong-set clear crystals, crystal-inset black-enameled silver rondelles, and gold or black-enameled metal caps and spacers. The complex convoluted knotted wiring is hidden in back by his signature ribbed-bullseye plates for earrings, while his pieces were not signed until after mid-century. According to the book by Florence Muller, Costume Jewelry For Haute Couture, Montague's oldest pieces were only identified by a paper brand tag when sold at the boutique, which had been founded by his mother in the late 1940s after the success of her post-war artisan jewelry workshop De Saurma.
Some other mid-century Parisian paruriers with distinctly different styles also sometimes used a ribbed-bullseye plate, but their likewise unsigned one-of-a-kind earrings for couturiers, such as Gabriel "Coco" Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli and Balenciaga, were instead stamped with the patent-text "depose" and/or country of origin.
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- Weight:15 g
- Dimensions:Width: 0.79 in (20 mm)Depth: 0.79 in (20 mm)Length: 1.19 in (30 mm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
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- Date of Manufacture:mid-century
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Chicago, IL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3244222506562
About the Seller
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Established in 2012
1stDibs seller since 2022
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- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: North Adams, MA
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 1 day of delivery.
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