A GROUP OF THIRTY JEWELS

This lot is offered without reserve.

THE OXEDA COLLECTION For over a decade the name Oxeda has been shining on rue Saint Honoré in Paris. It is synonymous with quality, passion and tradition, and its name is well known amongst collectors. Eva Oxeda, daughter-in-law of the founder of the famous firm and who herself worked with the house for over 50 years, has now decided to retire and shares with us some of her memories: "At the beginning of the 20th Century my parents-in-law Edgar and Eva Oxeda opened their first goldsmith shop at 334 rue St Honoré. My father-in-law, originally from a Basque family which goes back to the 18th Century and a graduate from the School of Horology of Besançon, and my mother-in-law, daughter of an antique dealer from Nantes, had both a pronounced liking for beautiful objects and precious materials. Both were passionate about silverware and spent all their time to meet their clients' desires and find objects for them that would complete their collection; clients whose number kept increasingly growing over the years. After finishing his studies in 1929, their son Edmond (1911-1994) also joined the family business. He stayed with them until the beginning of "World War I, at which time the shop was very quickly requisitioned by the occupying troops. Edmond joined the French Army and was then demobilised. We met in Monte Carlo around this very same period. At that time I had just left my home country, the city of Dantzig and was preparing to leave for the United States with my parents. My husband-to-be thought it was his duty to volunteer in the American army and thus followed me to America where we got married in Boston in 1942. After the war, we returned to France and my husband together with his parents reopened the shop. In addition to silverware, they included jewellery, initially only custom-made jewellery. In 1950, I was myself extremely passionate with jewellery and also joined the family business. The store's success grew: Americans could not resist the vast choice of églantines, trembleuses or other detachable brooches, which were very much in fashion at the time. We had a big advantage as we also spoke English and knew their style and tastes very well. In order to specialise in signed jewellery pieces, I convinced my husband to open a second shop in 1961 on 390 rue Saint Honoré, between rue Saint Florentin and rue Cambon. Americans were just crazy about French jewellery, Romy Schneider spent entire days admiring the jewellery and hesitating which piece to buy, Karl Lagerfeld accumulated tie pins. Only very few were those famous personalities from the movie world, theatre, arts, politics or famous Parisians, who did not enter our shops, from Salvador Dali to Rostropovitch, Jane Birkin to Thierry Le Luron, the latter who even mentioned the name of our shop in one of his shows! The name of our shop is well-known beyond our French borders: Maria Felix, Anja Lopez, Mick Jagger, Costa Gavras, Diana Ross, Shirley MacLaine, all fell under the spell of the treasures of Boivin, Boucheron, Cartier, Chaumet, Janesich, Lacloche, Van Cleef & Arpels and many more items which we were are able to collect on our visits to auction houses in France and abroad or which we purchased from private clients. All these personalities have expressed their friendship and enthusiasm in our "Livre d'Or" which reads like a real international Who's Who ! With Micheline Petiot, an employee since 1965, and my son-in-law Michel Josephson who joined the company in 1985, we welcomed clients as friends in an exquisite atmosphere. Cream coloured walls, wooden tables and leather furniture, crystal chandeliers, antique gold scales, Edmond's personal collection of boxes and of course jewellery, every single detail is important and creates the unique atmosphere of our shop. My husband died in 1994 but my passion for jewellery made me keep the shop. Today, I have decided to put an end to my activities. I chose Christie's as an auction house because it was the wish of my late husband who maintained a long-lasting friendship and business relationship with this international auction house and was amongst the very first buyers at the Geneva auctions in the 1960's." Eva Oxeda Please note that all the lots in the Oxeda Collection are sold without reserve. Please also note that not all items are illustrated and when illustrated are not always actual size.

Details

A GROUP OF THIRTY JEWELS
Comprising a multi-gem set wristwatch; a sodalite lighter; two pairs of ear clips; three cases; one cigarette case; a twin foldable frame; a powder compact; ten brooches; six pendants; and four bracelets
Diamond and green tourmaline ear clips signed Pomellato, lighter signed Dunhill, gold cigarette case signed Bulgari no 153 (31)

Special notice

This lot is offered without reserve.

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