Lot Essay
US$40,000-60,000
Details
AN ELEGANT JADEITE AND DIAMOND FLOWER BROOCH
The translucent rich emerald green material very well carved as a flower in full bloom, set off by the elegantly curving foliage and stems, highlighted by a cluster of diamond pistils and leaves, circa 1930, probably Shanghainese, jade slightly excavated on reverse
Greatest thickness approx. 2 mm
In Shanghai, the 1930's saw the invention of the flower brooch, which incorporated small plaques of matched jade cut into floral designs which were then set with diamonds into important brooches resembling corsages of jadeite. In the best of these, the design of the flower was drawn first and material was subsequently sacrificed in order to match the pattern. This resulted in jewellery of almost pictorial beauty, having all the elegance and lightness of Chinese flower paintings.
The translucent rich emerald green material very well carved as a flower in full bloom, set off by the elegantly curving foliage and stems, highlighted by a cluster of diamond pistils and leaves, circa 1930, probably Shanghainese, jade slightly excavated on reverse
Greatest thickness approx. 2 mm
In Shanghai, the 1930's saw the invention of the flower brooch, which incorporated small plaques of matched jade cut into floral designs which were then set with diamonds into important brooches resembling corsages of jadeite. In the best of these, the design of the flower was drawn first and material was subsequently sacrificed in order to match the pattern. This resulted in jewellery of almost pictorial beauty, having all the elegance and lightness of Chinese flower paintings.