Van Cleef & Arpels, The Poetry of Time, Coffee Table or Library Book
View Similar Items
Van Cleef & Arpels, The Poetry of Time, Coffee Table or Library Book
About the Item
- Creator:Van Cleef & Arpels (Jeweler)
- Dimensions:Height: 1.13 in (2.88 cm)Width: 13.25 in (33.66 cm)Depth: 12.5 in (31.75 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 2009
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1314213172561
Van Cleef & Arpels
One of the world’s foremost jewelry houses, Van Cleef & Arpels is particularly noted for a focus on technical virtuosity, craftsmanship and artistry, evident since its beginning. Rather than create earrings, bracelets, necklaces and other adornments primarily for the aim of displaying of wealth and opulence, Van Cleef & Arpels sought to produce jewelry that projected the wearer’s taste and style.
The company was formed a year after the 1895 marriage of Alfred Van Cleef, the son of a gem cutter, to Estelle Arpels, daughter of precious-stones dealer Salomon Arpel. Ten years later, Van Cleef & Arpels opened its first boutique on the Place Vendôme in Paris, setting the march on a square now crowded with dealers in bijouterie. (The company still occupies the New York flagship store opened in 1939 at Fifth Avenue and 57th Street.)
Born from a union of expertise in both jewelry making and gem selection, Van Cleef & Arpels distinguished itself with both the consistency of the color and clarity of its stones and the creativity of its designs. In doing so, the house would win a roster of dedicated, fashion-conscious clients that included the Duchess of Windsor, Marlene Dietrich, Barbara Hutton, Jacqueline Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor. In 1933, Van Cleef & Arpels patented its trademark Mystery Setting — a technique by which gems are fitted into an intricate matrix of slots and “drawers” that keep the setting hidden. Another signal innovation was the Zip necklace, introduced in 1951, which can be worn either around the neck or, with the zipper closed, as a bracelet.
But as much as to the firm’s craftsmanship, clients have been drawn by the insouciance and playfulness of Van Cleef & Arpels designers, as well as their attunement to the cultural climate. After the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, the company produced several lavish pieces featuring hieroglyphics and other Egyptian motifs to go along with the geometric Art Deco jewelry of that decade and the next. Following World War II, as symbols of freedom and rebirth, the firm focused on naturalistic forms such as birds, flowers, fruit and flying insects. High society’s 1960s fascination with the Near East and India prompted such pieces as the best-selling Alhambra necklace, popularized by Princess Grace.
Lately, attention among collectors and connoisseurs has centered on Van Cleef & Arpels’s quality of workmanship as much as its glamour. The firm was the subject of a 2012 show at the Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, as well as exhibitions at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California, in 2013 and at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 2014.
Find an exquisite collection of Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry on 1stDibs.
- Andy Warhol Diaries, Hard-Cover Library or Coffee Table Book, 1989By Andy WarholLocated in New York, NY'The Andy Warhol Diaries' book is hard-cover, first edition, May 1989. The Andy Warhol Diaries is the dictated memoirs of the American artist, Andy Warhol, posthumously published, May 1989, USA. It was edited by his frequent collaborator and long-time friend, Pat Hackett...Category
Vintage 1980s American Post-Modern Books
MaterialsPaper
- Bulgari Between Eternity and History Jewelry Coffee Table or Library BookBy BulgariLocated in New York, NY"Bulgari, Between Eternity and History", Bulgari's jewelry coffee table or library book celebrating Bulgari's 125th Anniversary as an iconic Italian luxury jeweler, "From 1884 To 200...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Books
MaterialsPaper
- Pablo Picasso, a Retrospective, Library or Coffee Table Book, 1980 New YorkBy MOMA Museum New York, Pablo PicassoLocated in New York, NYPablo Picasso: A Retrospective, The Museum on Modern Art, New York, library or coffee table book, 1980. Published on the occasion of the exhibition "Pablo Picasso: A Retrospective,...Category
20th Century American Modern Books
MaterialsPaper
- Pools by Kelly Klein an Architecture Coffee Table or Library Book, 1992Located in New York, NYThis beautiful book is first edition, 1992; An inspiring coffee table or library book by Kelly Klein, featuring iconic and unique photographs of swimming pools, in all their forms, f...Category
Late 20th Century American Books
MaterialsPaper
- Paris Berlin 1900-1933 Coffee Table BookLocated in New York, NYThe 'Paris Berlin 1900-1933 ' is a soft-cover book covering an exhibition from July 12-November 6, 1978, at The Centre Pompidou, Paris, France. Book cover...Category
Vintage 1970s French Modern Books
MaterialsPaper
$220 Sale Price20% Off - Bulgari Luxury Jewelry Coffee Table Book, 1990sBy BulgariLocated in New York, NYThis is a beautiful coffee table (or library book) about the history of the iconic Italian luxury jeweler Bvlgari (or Bulgari), circa 1990s, Italy. Book covers Bulgari's history in c...Category
1990s Italian Books
MaterialsPaper
- Van Cleef & Arpels: Timeless Beauty Hardcover Book 2012By Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in North Hollywood, CAVan Cleef & Arpels: Timeless Beauty Hardcover – July 31, 2012."Celebrating the 106-year-old jewelry house's glittering history." –Kristin Buettner, Harper's Bazaar.Since opening its ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Empire Revival Books
MaterialsPaper
- Vintage 1968 Hardcover Time Life Library of Art the World of Rembrandt BookLocated in North Hollywood, CABeautiful and Collectible Vintage 1968 Hardback Time Life Library of Art “The World of Rembrandt” Book. The World of Rembrandt 1606-1669 by Robert Wallace. New York, NY, Time Life ...Category
20th Century American Neoclassical Books
MaterialsPaper
- Essential Van Gogh Coffee Table BookLocated in Bradenton, FLEssential Van Gogh by Josephine Cutts and James Smith. First edition. Bath, England: Dempsey Parr, 2000. Hardcover book, 256 pages.Category
21st Century and Contemporary Books
MaterialsPaper
- "The Making of Evita Book by Alan Parker" Coffee Table BookLocated in North Hollywood, CA“The making of Evita Book by Alan Parker” coffee table book Featuring an introduction by Madonna, the film's star, a behind-the-scenes account of ...Category
1990s American Modern Books
MaterialsPaper
- Andrew Lang, the Blue Poetry Book, Publisher's Presention Copy, 1891Located in Hillsborough, NJAuthor: Lang, Andrew. Title: The Blue Poetry Book. Publisher: London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1891. Description: publisher's presention copy. 1 vol., 7-3/16" x 5-1/4", blind stamped publisher's presentation to title page, illustrated by H. J. Ford & Lancelot Speed...Category
Antique 1890s British Books
MaterialsLeather
- 50 of the World's Best Apartments Coffee Table BookLocated in North Hollywood, CAIs apartment living the way of the future? According to some, it's the only way to live. For most apartment-dwellers, beautiful views, functional floor plans, low maintenance and convenient, inner-city locations far outweigh the attributes of the traditional quarter-acre suburban block. This book presents, through text, superb floor photographs and floor plans, 50 of the best apartments from around the world. Focusing on fabulous interiors, this book is a digest of the myriad ways to fit out spaces that often begin as concrete shells, but are transformed, through the talents of the best interior architects and designers, into luxurious penthouses, funky lofts, hip apartments, sleek bachelor pads and sumptuous family homes. An inspiring sourcebook for all lovers of beautiful interiors. Title Fifty of the World's Best Apartments Editor Robyn Beaver...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Books
MaterialsPaper
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Gems by David Webb, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels Anchor The Back Vault’s Treasure Trove
Boasting one of the largest collections of David Webb in the world, the firm offers exceptional jewels — always in demand yet never in short supply.
This Turquoise Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra Necklace Is a Rare and Alluring Find
You know the French maison’s famous motif well. But why is this particular piece so in demand?