Rare Line Vautrin Gilt Heart Medallion Necklace
View Similar Items
Rare Line Vautrin Gilt Heart Medallion Necklace
About the Item
- Creator:
- Dimensions:Length: 16 in (406.4 mm)
- Place of Origin:France
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1940s-50s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Slight wear to finish as in photos, overall pretty tones and original finish.
- Seller Location:Litchfield County, CT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU5942767003
Line Vautrin
Celebrated as the “poetess of metal” by Vogue magazine, designer Line Vautrin’s provocative works, which span furniture and jewelry, are characterized by fanciful forms and technical excellence. An audacious decorative artist and intellectual during a time when women were expected to fall into traditional roles, her inspirational designs show her passion for literature, wordplay and mythological allegory.
Born in 1914, Vautrin possessed a sense of curiosity and keen observational skills that led her to start creating at an early age. A talented autodidact, she taught herself to work with metal while spending time in her family’s bronze foundry. Vautrin had already mastered the skills of casting, carving, gilding and polishing bronze by the time she was in her early teens, and introduced her first line of jewelry when she was only twenty years old, offering her unique brooches, belt clasps and buttons to a select group of customers. In 1937, Vautrin helmed a small booth at the Paris International Exposition, where she gained some notoriety for her handcrafted accessories. Around the same time, Vautrin worked briefly for Elsa Schiaparelli, a like-minded fashion designer whose achievements propelled her onto the cover of Time magazine in 1934.
Vautrin opened a modest boutique near the Champs-Élysées in the late 1930s. During World War II, she created playful and sophisticated necklaces, powder boxes, earrings and other items that gave her clientele a welcome respite from wartime hardships. There was great demand for Vautrin’s work, and she opened a larger shop on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in 1946. Shortly thereafter, she opened her own atelier in Paris’s then run-down Marais district with her husband, interior decorator Jacques Armand Bonnaud. The neighborhood would later become world-famous for its boutiques and designer shops.
Vautrin’s boundless curiosity led her to constantly experiment with new materials and processes. In 1955, she perfected her technique with a new form of cellulose acetate resin, which she patented under the name Talosel. Vautrin used this material extensively to create complicated mirrored inlays, which became one of her signature motifs.
Throughout her life, Vautrin played with literary and religious iconography in her designs, drawing inspiration from common aphorisms, ancient world mythologies and alchemical principles. Her passion for symbology and the written word is reflected in her work, which often features intricate lettering and carefully rendered shapes and figures. Vautrin's pieces were imbued with her own sense of humor and love of fantasy.
In 1969, Vautrin closed her shop, and, alongside her daughter, Marie-Laure Bonnaud-Vautrin, opened a craft school to teach her innovative techniques to aspiring artists. Vautrin retired in 1980 but continued to create art from her apartment up until her death in 1997. Her individualism earned her a place among the most iconic creators of mid-century jewelry and decorative objects. Actress Brigitte Bardot and fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent became notable collectors of her work.
In 1992, Vautrin was recognized for her work in developing new decorative techniques by the Société d'Encouragement aux Métiers d’Art (later the Institut National des Métiers d’Art). Her designs were also celebrated by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, which held a retrospective of her works in 1999.
Find vintage Line Vautrin mirrors, decorative objects and collectibles on 1stDibs.
- Coral, Tsavorite, Brown Diamond and Diamond Flower Necklace in 18 Karat GoldLocated in Bangkok, THCoral 27.39 carats with Tsavorite 33.73 carats, Brown Diamond 0.80 carat and Diamond 0.82 carat Necklace set in 18 Karat Gold Settings Width: 4.8 cm Length: 50.0 cm Total Weight: ...Category
2010s Thai Contemporary More Necklaces
MaterialsCoral, Brown Diamond, Tsavorite, Gold, 18k Gold
- South Sea Pearl Necklace Set in 18 Karat White Gold SettingsLocated in Bangkok, THSouth Sea Pearl Necklace set in 18 Karat White Gold Settings Width: 1.2 cm Length: 82.0 cm (32.5") Total Weight: 69.04 grams South Sea Pearl Size...Category
2010s Thai Contemporary More Necklaces
MaterialsSouth Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
- Fresh Water Pearl Necklace Set in 18 Karat White Gold SettingsLocated in Bangkok, THFresh Water Pearl Necklace set in 18 Karat White Gold Settings Width: 0.7 cm Length: 78.0 cm (30.5") Total Weight: 44.71 grams Pearl Size: 7 mm P...Category
2010s Thai Contemporary More Necklaces
MaterialsPearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
- Important Cushion Cut Ceylon Sapphire Diamond Platinum NecklaceBy Diamond Scene New YorkLocated in New York, NYAn incredible piece! 75.50 carats of beautiful Intense to Vivid Blue cushion cut sapphires, including a 17.48 carat cushion cut drop. 45.13 carats of diamonds, all set in platinum...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Necklaces
MaterialsDiamond, Sapphire, Platinum
- Giovane Large Link Diamond NecklaceBy GiovaneLocated in New York, NYGiovani large link diamond necklace in 18k white gold. the necklace is set pave set with rose cut diamonds weighing total of approx 125ct. Length 16". W...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Artist Link Necklaces
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold
- Cellini Jewelers 18KT White/Yellow Gold 12.33Ct Emerald 13.68Ct Diamond NecklaceBy CelliniLocated in New York, NYExceptionally beautiful emerald and diamond necklace. The centerpiece of this necklace is set with 11 square and rectangular eme...Category
2010s Contemporary Choker Necklaces
MaterialsDiamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold