Byzantine Jewelry

While contracted as an independent craftsman to create one-of-a-kind costume jewelry for French Masion Degorce from 1953 until it closed in 1957, Parisian goldsmith Robert Goosens (1927-2016) was initially commissioned by Gabriel "Coco" Chanel to craft one-of-a-kind Byzantine-style long decorative-chain necklaces with multiple charms made of metal and filigree-or-sculptural-prong-capped glass faux pearls, while she intended to layer many of them to accessorize her couture clothing for clients and herself. Relevant to the unclear designer of our vintage 9-pendant ribbed-chain sautoir with an unsigned gold-gilt silver barrel clasp and five unique kinds of intricately textured vermeil and baroque-faux-pearl charms, a similar lost-wax-cast center pendant with three-lobed-foliate prongs also in the shape of oak leaves can be seen in the book (p.28), Bijoux de Haute Couture: Collection Robert Goossens, by Gilles Plazy and Chantal Bizot published in Paris in 2000. The same year, that Chanel-signed pendant necklace was auctioned by Christie's in a lot including an unsigned long chain sautoir also attributed to Chanel. Further, another 1stDibs dealer currently has a $12,500 listing for an unsigned but book-published early-1950s faux-pearl sautoir for Chanel that also features intricate pinecone talismans like ours, but decorated with poured glass and crystals crafted by Maison Gripoix. When Chanel relaunched her post-war business ventures, Goosens soon became her favorite parurier before founding his eponymous Maison Goosens, whose venerable workshop later designed metal work for its own jewelry-and-furnishings brand Goosens Paris. Notably, Chanel did not add a brand signature to costume jewelry until the late 1950s, while some pieces prior to this by multiple paruriers are documented to lack any identification that Chanel was earlier known to stamp such as "France", "Made In France" and/or "Depose". Recently, a similar unsigned/unmarked longer chain sautoir with fewer filigree-and-pearl pendants that was believed to be by Robert Goosens for Chanel...

An outstanding and highly unusual necklace and matching earrings, made by Mitchel Maer for Christian Dior. Clear bright topaz coloured pastes are set in softly gilded metal to create...

18ct 750 Gold Italian Vintage Chain Stamped 750 Beautiful condition

Completely handmade Maison Gripoix for Chanel long elaborate Byzantine link chain of gold plated bronze flexible chain accented with dozens of emerald and pale sapphire...

This vintage set of signed Hattie Carnegie enamel clip on earrings and small pin and or pendant is reminiscent of a bygone era of Elizabethan meets byzantine influence. The colors ar...

Coco Chanel Byzatine style segmented belt of poured glass elements in signature ruby and emerald pate de verre glass links. 1950's France, made by Stu...

Chanel classic earclips of faux turquoise pate de verre cabochons set in gilt bronze floral filigree, hand set with pastes by studio Goossens. The styl...

Glamorous Roger Jean Pierre French brooch clip from the 1950's with aurora and clear crystal paste stones. The fur clip is attached to a tiered elem...

Coco Chanel synthesizes her favorite "Go To" motifs into one brooch. The lion (her Astrological sign), the Kilt Pin (her visits to the Scottish Highlands) and the gilt Baroque of her...