THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OF A NOBLE ITALIAN LADY

A RARE HAWK'S EYE AND DIAMOND BIRD BROOCH, BY STERLÉ, CIRCA 1955

Designed as a majestic bird, the torso composed of hawk's eye with long articulated...

THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OF A NOBLE ITALIAN LADY

A RARE HAWK'S EYE AND DIAMOND BIRD BROOCH, BY STERLÉ, CIRCA 1955

Designed as a majestic bird, the torso composed of hawk's eye with long articulated gold tassel tail feathers highlighted with brilliant-cut diamonds, with similarly-cut diamond crown, eyes and beak, mounted in 18K gold, diamonds approximately 3.00cts total, signed Sterlé Paris, numbered 7.558, with maker's marks, French assay marks, length 10.2cm

 

Sterlé’s fascination with recreating the natural world inspired him to go above and beyond many of the goldsmiths and jewellers of his time. Following a visit to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo in the early 1950’s and a glimpse at the intricacy of one of Cleopatra’s bracelets,the Frenchman strove to emulate what he had seen and apply it to the creation of his designs inspired by nature. He is thus credited with the invention of what aptly became known as his distinct ‘angel wire’ or ‘knitted gold’ technique, whereupon gold wire was twisted or braided by Sterlé in such a way as to enable the artist to reproduce both the delicacy, density and movement of a bird's wings and plumage in a remarkably tactile and dynamic fashion.

Ref of text: Catalogue published in 2019 for the exhibition 'Birds in Paradise' curated by L'Ecole, School of Jewelry Arts, with the support of Van Cleef & Arpels, which took place 15th May - 13th July 2019, in Paris - Sterlé, page 87. For comparable Bird brooch by Sterlé - in same exhibition catalogue, page 101, from a private collection.

 

Pierre Sterlé (1905-1978) was famed for his innovative approach to jewellery design, embodying the dynamics of 1950s design. The son of a family of bankers, Sterlé trained as a jeweller in Paris under his uncle Maynier-Pinçon following the death of his father during the First World War. In 1934, he founded his own jewellery making company and was sponsored by many large jewellery houses located on the Place de Vendome, including Boucheron, Chaumet, and Van Cleef & Arpels, who had already used his talents for their own firms. Sterlé’s talent as a designer soon allowed him to emerge from his status as a jewellery manufacturer to a successful jeweller and artist in his own right. His reputation was cemented when he won the De Beers Diamond Award, a major achievement in the jewellery world, for three years running in 1953, 1954 and 1955. Sterlé’s success as an artist during this time ensured he received large-scale recognition in France as well as on a global scale. He worked for many heads of state and royalty, including Queen Narriman of Egypt and Princess Soraya of Iran and socialised with fellow avant-garde artisans in France, such as Jean Cocteau, Georges Bracque and Salvador Dalí.

His work is distinguishable by his intricate pieces, wrought with great movement and energy, often using baguette-cut diamonds and coloured gemstones in sweeping, curling lines. Above all, it was Sterlé’s invention of the ‘knitted-gold technique’ or ‘angel thread’ which would lead to his fame at the climax of his career in the 1950s and 1960s. The meticulous use of of gold plaiting and threading enabled him to emulate recreate the intricacies of the natural world, from the textures of flowers and plants, to the wings and feathers of his famous bird brooches, all executed in a strikingly tactile and dynamic way. Although a talented jeweller, Sterlé did not experience the same level of success at business and suffered the closing of two of his own stores throughout his lifetime. Forced to close his house in 1976, Sterlé continued his work at the Maison Chaumet, where he acted as Artistic Director until his death in 1978.

 

The late 19th century onwards until the 1950s and 60s saw a huge fascination by jewellers with the representation of birds in jewellery. This trend echoed the growing penchant for decorative naturalism and a passion for romanticising the natural world and derived from the increase in major scientific expeditions, the creation of large colonial empires and the widespread popularity of taxidermy in Western Europe. Natural history museums, zoos and richly illustrated ornithological publications inspired a growing penchant for exotic birds amongst the wealthy classes. Not only did birdwatching become a popular activity, but owning a bird of paradise was seen as a symbol of status, affluence and a stamp that the individual was well-travelled. Ever-present in mythology, a constant source of inspiration for literature and the arts, exotic birds also came to be represented in the world of jewellery. As such, without necessarily owning a specimen, wearers of ornithological jewellery thereafter invoked in their audience ideas of travel, luxury and an appreciation of the natural world. Brooches played an especially important role in the way that bird species of all kinds remained popular for over a century of jewellery design – from the mid-nineteenth century up until the 1960s. The sheer beauty of birds, alongside the vast diversity of their shapes, lines, colours and poses, allowed jewellers to experiment with creating such pieces, unlike any other animal. Over time, the use of birds as motif in jewellery design came to signify something far greater than beauty or status, and in many cases the bird was used to represent or symbolise a cause or ideal. The turtledove was strongly connotated with love, whilst the peacock remained a clear symbol of exoticism and luxury. During World War II, French jewellers including Cartier created brooches of caged birds as a symbol of freedom and patriotism during the German Occupation and at the time of the Liberation, several jewellers including Van Cleef & Arpels, used birds in their jeweller as a decided signifier of France’s new-found freedom.

                As such, Pierre Sterlé was certainly not alone in his fascination with depicting birds in jewellery. The continued presence of ornithological species in brooches and pendants throughout the mid-20th century is testament to their unfailing popularity amongst buyers, from the Parisian elite to his clients further afield. Yet it was Sterlé’s invention of the ‘angel-thread’ technique which served to revolutionise the depiction of birds in the jewellery world. He was one of the most innovative artisans of the 20th century and whilst the use of his gold-plaiting and threading technique was most pertinent in the emulation of birds, goldsmiths soon acquired it in a host of new designs which allowed the artist to reproduce the finesse and density of textures from the natural world.

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