SUZANNE BELPERRON

Suzanne Belperron (1900-1983) is one of the twentieth century's greatest jewellers. She is hugely celebrated in the jewellery world and her pieces create excitement in the auction rooms. Her reputation is as high as that of any of the great French Art Deco jewellers Amazingly, she never signed her work, considering it so distinctive that it was instantly recognisable. This is the first book devoted to her life and work and it will cement her reputation as a design genius. Suzanne Belperron worked first for the famous firm of Rene Boivin, but in her thirties was encouraged by admirers to set up on her own. She opened a tiny shop on the rue de Chateaudun and began selling her new designs, which were totally in vogue with modern taste and lusted after by a young and hip generation. It seemed destined that no book would ever be devoted to her work because it was thought that her archive was destroyed in a fire. However, the discovery by Olivier Baroin, a Paris-based jewellery expert, now owner of this wide-ranging archive, has made this book possible. It has revealed many drawings for her jewellery as well as order books containing a who's who of her customers. These ranged from royalty like the Duchess of Windsor to writers like Colette, to famous stars like Frank Sinatra. Her fame spread wide and her pieces were constantly illustrated in magazines like Vogue as well as featured on the big screen in Hollywood movies. This beautiful book will tell her incredible story.