Vintage 18 Karat Gold and Lapis Shirt Studs by Verdura
View Similar Items
Vintage 18 Karat Gold and Lapis Shirt Studs by Verdura
About the Item
- Creator:
- Metal:18k Gold,Yellow Gold
- Stone:Lapis Lazuli
- Weight:11.9 g
- Style:Contemporary
- Place of Origin:United States
- Period:1990-1999
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 1990
- Condition:Very minor scratches on the back of the cuff links. Lapis is free of cracks.
- Seller Location:Pikesville, MD
- Reference Number:Seller: 960871stDibs: LU110934613773
Verdura
Fulco di Verdura (1898–1978) is not exactly a household name, except for those who know a thing or two about highly original, often eccentric handcrafted jewelry and, even more so, for those fortunate enough to own some. In that exclusive group, Verdura is regarded as the most gifted and coveted designer of his time.
Verdura was born in Sicily in 1898, the scion of a noble family related to the Lampedusas. (His cousin, Giuseppe di Lampedusa, wrote the great Italian saga The Leopard). His life was charmed from birth. Raised in his family’s villa, he grew up during a time when Sicily, and Palermo in particular, were meccas for well-born and highly cultured European travelers.
A bona fide duke with no clear ambitions but creative leanings aplenty (he could draw and paint), the young Verdura was part of the wandering social circuit — the so-called beau monde — that went from capital to capital, resort to resort.
Verdura, though small in stature, had that indefinable quality called charm. As a result, he was the life of every party he attended. When he finally started designing jewelry under Coco Chanel in the late 1920s, many of his friends became his clients (or received the pieces as gifts). Elsa Maxwell took him under her ample wing when she was hired to do public relations for the Lido in Venice and introduced him to the local and visiting cognoscenti. Chanel, whom he met in Venice, hired him to work in the textiles division of her fashion house. But it was his flair for jewelry that soon caught Coco’s eye. Eventually, he rose to become her personal designer of fine jewelry.
In 2002’s Verdura: The Life and Work of a Master Jeweler (Thames & Hudson), Vanity Fair’s Amy Fine Collins describes the sensation of wearing pieces by Verdura, who drew inspiration from nature for his signature gem-studded seashell brooches and honeybee earrings. “They were ingeniously calculated to flatter the wearer,” writes Collins. “Earrings undulated to complement the convolutions of an earlobe, rings seductively followed the phalanges of a finger, and necklaces gracefully traced the anatomy of the throat.”
In 1934, Verdura left Chanel and together with two friends, aspiring actress Princess Natalia Pavlovna Paley and Baron Nicholas de Gunzburg, moved to the U.S. After several stops, he found a job through Diana Vreeland in Hollywood with Paul Flato, then the “jeweler to the stars.” Soon he was signing his work and helping Flato cultivate the crème de la creme of the silver screen — those both on it and behind it.
Verdura left Los Angeles for New York and opened his own salon, first on Fifth Avenue in 1939, just as World War II was beginning in Europe. His backers were Vincent Astor and Cole Porter, for whom he made bejeweled boxes and cigarette cases — gifts from Porter’s wife, Linda — to commemorate the opening nights of several musicals. Verdura began to expand both his repertoire — he became much more daring and flamboyant — and his clientele. The Duchess of Windsor, Daisy Fellowes, Greta Garbo and others routinely gave him commissions. In 1941, Verdura collaborated on a collection of six pieces with Salvador Dalí to accompany a Dalí exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Verdura retired in 1972 and left the care of the company to his partner, Joseph Alfano. He later moved to London, where he died in 1978 at the age of 79.
Among the most prized pieces on display in a 2014 Verdura jewelry exhibition in New York were Greta Garbo’s curb-link bracelet watch, which Verdura designed for her in 1939; Coco Chanel’s pair of Maltese Cross cuff bracelets (she wore one on each wrist); and Diana Vreeland’s duo of Byzantine brooches.
Find a range of authentic Verdura jewelry today on 1stDibs.
- Verdura Lapis Gold and Diamond set CufflinksBy VerduraLocated in Chicago, ILCirca 2000 Verdura Cufflinks, Comprised of a Lapis Lazuli Ball measuring 1/2 inch and diameter, 7 Gold bezel set Round Brilliant cut Diamonds, a whit...Category
Early 2000s American Cufflinks
MaterialsDiamond, Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold
- Van Cleef and Arpels Lapis Yellow Gold Shirt Stud SetBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in Stamford, CTFour piece shirt stud set in lapis and 18k gold from Van Cleef and Arpels. Rare complete four piece set. Van Cleef and Arpels box included. 4 1/2 tubes blue lapis, 12.9 x 5.3 x 3 1...Category
Late 20th Century Cufflinks
MaterialsLapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Bvulgari 18 Karat Yellow Gold and Lapis Lazuli Vintage CufflinksBy BulgariLocated in Cattolica, ITOriginal Bvlgari cufflinks finely crafted in 18k yellow gold with Lapis Lazuli at the center. A very collectable Bulgari milestone.Category
Early 2000s Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
MaterialsLapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Vintage 18k Yellow Gold and Lapis CufflinksBy Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co.Located in San Rafael, CAA classic design, these double-sided cufflinks feature four cabochon-cut lapis ovals set in 18K yellow gold. These cufflinks were designed by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co. How...Category
20th Century American Contemporary Cufflinks
MaterialsLapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$1,790 Sale Price / set20% Off - 18 Karat Yellow Gold Lapis and Coral CufflinksLocated in Scottsdale, AZMaterial: 18K yellow gold Dimensions: cufflinks measure 20.5mm Weight: 13.90 gramsCategory
21st Century and Contemporary Cufflinks
MaterialsCoral, Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Vintage Ruby and Diamond Greyhound Cufflink and Shirt Stud Set in 18k GoldLocated in London, GBAn incredibly unique ruby and diamond Greyhound cufflink and shirt stud dress set, made in 18k yellow gold. This beautiful set is firstly composed of a double sided pair of Greyhound cufflinks. The Greyhound faces have been beautifully handcrafted and engraved with intricate details that highlight the nose, eyes and ears. Each Greyhound is then grain set with a alternating ruby and diamond collar...Category
Vintage 1980s Retro Cufflinks
MaterialsDiamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold