COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Published Weekly By Joel Sater Publications www.antiquesandauctionnews.net
VOL. 43, NO. 6 FRIDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2012
The Look Of Love - Eye Miniatures From The Skier Collection
Gold oval pendant The Skier collection surrounded by now contains an seed pearls, incredible array of circa 1830. nearly one hundred Brown right objects, both deceye with orative and funcc l o u d s . tional, from simPurchased ple lockets to from Edith lavish rings, as Weber, New Y o r k . well as watch Dimensions: keys and tooth1-7⁄8 (with pick cases, each hanger) by 1of which features 3⁄8 by 1⁄4 inch. an eye miniature. Photo by: M. While the majority Sean Pathasema. of the pieces were meant to be worn as pieces. Published jewelry, mainly brooches by D. Giles Limited, Gilt metal and and pendants, some were the catalog is available blue enamel oval pendant, circa 1860. intended to be carried on one’s per- for sale online, from the Museum Blue right eye with curls of hair and son in the form of small boxes. store. clouds. Purchased from Elle Shushan, Each object from the collection “Jewelry depicting individual Philadelphia. Dimensions: 2-1⁄2 (with Gold brooch and pen- will be on display in remarkable eyes,” says Elle Sushan, “have hanger) by 1-1⁄2 by 1⁄4 inch. Photo by: dant with faceted installation cases in the Arrington long been popular (the Victoria & M. Sean Pathasema. amethyst border, glass gallery. Admission to the exhibi- Albert museum has Roman and son isitors to The Birming- and back with woven brown tion is free of charge. For those of Etruscan examples). In medieval an ham Museum of Art are actual story of hair, circa 1840. Brown left eye. us who can’t see the Birmingham England, there were theological Purchased from Charlotte Sayers finding an enlightening a long-ago Antiques, London. Dimensions: 1 by 1 by 3⁄8 inch. Photo by: exhibition in person, there’s an connotations considering eyes to and beautiful display of the love armchair viewing opportunity. be ‘the windows of the soul,’ but or unusual. The Museum is debuting bereavement, M. Sean Pathasema. The exhibition is accompanied by the mid-eighteenth century incarthe first major exhibition of now lost to the passage of time. We proposal. The following day, she a scholarly catalogue nation almost certainly began in lover’s eye jewelry. “The Look of continue to be fascinated by these came to her senses and fled to the of the entire colFrance.” Obviously, it did not Love: Eye Miniatures from the enigmatic jewels. We hope that you Continent, remaining there for lection, edited stay in France. Yet, eye portraiSkier Collection,” is on display at will be fascinated as well.” b y more than a year. She hoped that ture was not the rage in America, the museum until June 10. Dr. Graham C. Boettcher, The her absence would quell the as Sushan explains in Exquisite in craftsmanship, William C. Hulsey Curator of Prince’s feelings, but true to the old her essay. “Strangely,” unique in detail, and few in num- American Art at the Birmingham adage, it only made his heart grow she says, “America, ber, lover’s eye miniatures are Museum of Art, organized “The fonder. always eager to grab a small-scale portraits of individual Look of Love” with the participaOn November 3, 1785, the new fad, did not succumb eyes set into various forms of tion of the collectors, Dr. David Prince wrote to Mrs. to the charm of jewelry from late 18th- and early and Mrs. Nan Skier. “We are Fitzherbert with a second eye minia19th-century England. Featuring delighted to present the largest ever proposal of marriage. tures.” That an impressive 98 pieces, the col- exhibition of these intriguing and Instead of sending an is, of lection on display is considered to enigmatic objects, which are sure engagement ring, he sent course, until be the largest of its kind, with to delight the viewer with their her a picture of his own American only 1,000 lover’s eye miniatures beauty, intri- eye, painted by the miniacollectors disthought to be in existence worldcacy, and turist Richard Cosway, covered their wide. m y s - writing, “P.S. I send you a charm. The Struck by the splendor of an tery,” Parcel…and I send you at the same Yellow gold brooch with elegant ring featuring time an Eye, if you have border of thirty-two nata lover’s not totally forgotten ural oriental half pearls eye porthe whole countein a floral motif with trait, Nan eight small turquoise nance. I think the likeand David stones; oval locket back ness will strike you.” B o e t t c h e r, S k i e r with woven brown hair under glass, Shortly thereafter, with contribubegan their circa 1820. Brown right eye. Purchased Mrs. Fitzherbert tions by Elle Edith Weber, New York. eye miniareturned to England Shushan, Jo Manning and from Dimensions: 1 by 1-1⁄8 by 1⁄4 inch. Photo ture collecand married the Boettcher, himself. The cata- by: M. Sean Pathasema. tion with Bracelet Prince in a secret logue features lavish fullthis solitary pur- s a y s surmounted with miniature ceremony color images of Philadelphia Museum of Art has a on in gold surround with drop chase in 1993, at an antiques t h e collection of lover’s eyes, and in D e c e m b e r pearl. Plaited hairwork on show. Over the past several years, Boettcher. lover’s 2010, The Brandywine River reverse, restrung with four 15, 1785. they have quietly built the largest e y e Museum in Chadds Ford, Not long Part of strands of cultured pearls. Gray collection of lover’s eye minia- a trend that after Pennsylvania, presented the exhiright eye. Purchased from a pritures in the world. Nan Skier b e g a n vate collection; previously with bition, “Eye to Eye: Portrait remarks on that “love at first w i t h Edith Weber, New York. Miniatures from the Collection of sight” purchase… “We both B r i t a i n ’s Dimensions: 1-5⁄8 by 2 by 1⁄4 Phyllis and Jamie Wyeth.” The clearly recall our first encounter Prince of inch. (surround only). Photo by: Wyeths are also longtime lover’s with a lover’s eye, an elegant Wales (later M. Sean Pathasema. eye collectors and enthusiasts. ring, bearing the image of a sin- George IV), clandestine lovers their clandesThe Birmingham Museum gle eye surrounded by enamel, exchanged these customized tine nuptials, of Art is presenting a related diamonds, and pearls, was nestled tokens depicting one another’s M r s . event, Trinket or Treasure, a among the many treasures in eyes, as such a feature might only Fitzherbert (as day of jewelry appraisal featuring Edith Weber’s booth at the be recognized by persons of the she preferred to Gloria Lieberman, Vice President Cyclorama Antiques Show in most intimate familiarity. Thus, remain) commisof Skinner Auctions of Boston on Boston. We were captivated by its behind the skilled artistry with sioned Cosway Saturday, February 25. One of the uniqueness and by the tiny paint- which each of these tiny portraits to paint a miniaworld’s renowned experts on ing of an exquisite gray eye, par- was painted, lie the enchanting sto- ture of her own eye (Continued on page 2) ticularly appropriate for us ries of secret romance and love for the Prince. The because David is an eye surgeon. lost, which inspired the creation of Prince of Wales’ token of Old oval brooch and pendant surrounded We were also enchanted by the this popular, albeit short-lived affection inspired an arisby fourteen split pearls with fourteen small love story that accompanied it. fashion. satellite pearls, circa 1835-1840. Inscribed initials on tocratic trend for exchanging eye We could not have anticipated reverse: J.a.t., W.v.t., J.m.t. Brown left eye. Purchased portraits mounted in a wide variA Secret Affair that the purchase of this ring The genesis of lover’s eyes is a ety of settings lasting the next few from Leah Gordon Antiques, New York. Dimensions: 1-1⁄8 by 1 by 1⁄4 inch. would begin decades of discov- story of forbidden love. In 1784, decades. Photo by: M. Sean Pathasema.
ery, seeking out these rarities, which are at once works of art, precious jewels, and fragments of history. How poignant it is that each eye represents an actual per-
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the 21-year-old Prince of Wales became smitten with Mrs. Maria Fitzherbert, a Catholic widow. Under the Royal Marriage Act, the Prince could not marry without his father’s consent until the age of 25, and it was highly unlikely that King George III would agree to the heir to the throne marrying a Catholic widow. Mrs. Fitzherbert initially rebuffed the Prince’s advances, but after he staged a suicide attempt to demonstrate his despair, she gave in and accepted his