15 minute read
Private Collections: A Connoisseur’s Collection
A CONNOISSEUR’S COLLECTION
East Melbourne
Leonard Joel is excited to present A Connoisseur’s Collection, offering at auction the contents of 16 Berry Street, East Melbourne. The beautiful three-level Victorian town house encloses a discerning collection of art, objets d’art, and fine furniture belonging to the late Cary Mansell and his partner Ray Williams.
Cary and Ray met in the 1980s, developing their love for antiques, travel, and art together, refining their collection through their various residences including Musk Farm, which they bought from the Estate of Stuart Rattle in 2014. After just three happy years there Ray fell ill, prompting a move back to East Melbourne. The house in Berry Street was purchased, just a few hundred metres from their former much-loved home in Powlett Street.
Their collection reflects a mutual love of antiques, their eye for beauty and quality, and a love of an “old fashioned” way of life. This extended to their entertaining, where Cary was master of the kitchen and Ray the maître d’hôtel. Berry Street is curated to entertain, with a drinks trolley near the dining table and a large astral glazed cabinet housing a sizable collection of Georg Jensen sterling silver table ware, an extensive set of Waterford Crystal, and an iconic suite of Georg Jensen Acorn pattern flatware. Their prized dinner service was a rare set of Flora Danica porcelain. In addition to their passion for the art of dining, Cary and Ray both shared a love of clocks. Cary’s interest was possibly sparked by his great grandfather, who was a clock maker and whose final exam piece is offered for sale, along with several other fine examples including an impressive musical clock. Being in the sitting room at Berry Street at midday (or midnight!) with four clocks chiming in unison must have been an extraordinary experience.
The Venetian items in the collection reflect a more recent passion for Italy, particularly Venice; annual visits over the last decade were an exhausting itinerary of galleries, churches, and palazzi, whilst at night they recovered at their favourite hotel, the Cipriani. Imagery and statues of the lion of San Marco are seen in almost every room, coupled with various Venetian treasures including beautiful Fortuny lights, a fine glass mirror and, most impressively, a large gondola pole lantern.
This fine collection is complemented by art chosen by Cary and Ray, ranging from 18th Century European works to good examples of early 20th Century Australian artists including Septimus Power and Henry Hanke.
We look forward to celebrating Cary and Ray’s legacy with you on June 20th, 2021.
CHIARA CURCIO / Head of Decorative Arts
A Connoisseur's Collection Sun 20 June, 12pm MELBOURNE
ABOVE & OPPOSITE: A selection of pieces from A Connoisseur's Collection, in situ at 16 Berry Street, East Melbourne.
IMPORTANT JEWELS
Elsa Peretti: The Jewels of Humanity 1940 – 2021
Elsa Peretti “not only created a model for style and elegance that defined contemporary life, she changed forever the way people think about jewellery and incorporating fine taste in their lives.”
WILLIAM R. CHANEY, COMPANY CHAIRMAN AT TIFFANY & CO.
Next Important Jewels Auction Tues 10 Aug, 6pm SYDNEY
ABOVE: 18ct Gold 'Diamonds by the Yard' Necklace, Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. Sold for $4,216
Elsa Peretti’s real stroke of genius was her ‘Diamonds by the Yard’ necklace, making diamonds affordable by spacing them out on a chain. The design has since been copied throughout the world.
OPPOSITE: Elsa Peretti, New York, 1970. (Photo by PL Gould/Images / Getty Images)
BELOW: The perfume bottle Elsa Peretti designed for Halston in the 1970s. The Italian-born jewellery designer, Elsa Peretti, is widely recognized as one of the most important jewellers of our time.
Her creations are acknowledged for their rigour and design; she had a talent of reducing things to their most primal and simple forms. Her open heart motif, influenced by Alexander Calder’s mobiles, is lovingly treasured as a metaphor for a poem on what the heart contains. As Peretti once put it, “I love nature, but I try to change it a little bit, not copy it.” Inspired by the forms found in the natural world, including snakes, scorpions, beans, flowers and bones, her minimalist and easily recognisable designs informed by Modernism are highly sought-after. She ignored the boundaries between fine and costume jewellery, instead creating enduring and meaningful jewels in silver that the working woman could afford and enjoy.
As an acknowledgement of her achievements and in recognition of the inspirational nature of her life’s work, many of Elsa Peretti’s iconic designs feature in several permanent collections, including those of the British Museum in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.
Elsa Peretti was born in 1940 in Florence into a privileged Italian business family. She attended schools in Italy and Switzerland, ultimately studying interior design and working for an architect in Milan. At age 21 she had a falling out with her parents over her work and lifestyle choices resulting in a termination of all financial support. To make ends meet she moved to Barcelona to pursue a career in fashion modelling. Elsa soon became part of an artistic enclave that included surrealist artist Salvador Dalí before moving to New York in 1968. With her tall, elegant appearance, severe cropped hair and khaki-colored eyes, Elsa was an immediate hit as a runway model for designers including Issey Miyake, Charles James, Giorgio di Sant’ Angelo and especially Halston, who went by just one name. She soon became part of the glamorous crowd at Studio 54, the storied Manhattan disco that attracted celebrities like Andy Warhol, Liza Minnelli, Bianca Jagger, Cher and Halston. With her husky voice, androgynous appearance, and trademark large sunglasses, she cut an imposing figure on the dance floor. She is portrayed in Warhol’s diaries as a fiery character who liked a party.
Perhaps the most famous photo of Ms. Peretti was not one from a modeling assignment but the 1975 morning-after shot by the celebrity photographer Helmut Newton, with whom she was romantically involved at the time. She stands on an apartment terrace, a cigarette dangling from her mouth, wearing a variation of the Playboy Bunny uniform — strapless, with long black gloves and a black mask.
Once she could comfortably pay the bills, Peretti turned her hand to her true passion, jewellery design. Initially she created pieces for herself, later venturing into accessory design for others including Giorgio di Sant’ Angelo and Halston, designing his highly acclaimed signature bulbous teardrop perfume bottle.
In 1974, Halston introduced her to Walter Hoving, the CEO of Tiffany & Co., leading to an enduring collaboration with Peretti as a Tiffany named designer. Her designs made the cover of a 1977 issue of Newsweek, titled “Jewelry’s New Dazzle.” By 1978, Peretti was well entrenched as Tiffany’s leading designer. Through the partnership with Tiffany, Elsa Peretti became a household name. Over decades, she went on to design more than 30 collections and generated about 10% of Tiffany’s turnover. In 2012, when she threatened to withdraw her name and ideas, Tiffany paid her US$47million and signed her up for another 20 years.
In later life, Peretti’s energy and wealth were firmly fixated on the work of her charitable foundation, the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation, which supports environmental and conservation projects, human and civil rights, education, and animal welfare.
HAMISH SHARMA / Head of Important Jewels
FINE JEWELS & TIMEPIECES
History Revived: The Craftsmanship of Eugène Fontenay
Fine Jewels & Timepieces Auction Mon 7 June, 6pm MELBOURNE
OPPOSITE: An Archeological Revival Gold and Jewelled Enamel Demi-Parure Attributed to Eugène Fontenay, Circa 1870 $40,000-60,000
BELOW: A Rare Art Nouveau Gold, Enamel and Gem-set Pendant Brooch, Philippe Wolfers, Circa 1900 $20,000-25,000 Why are people drawn to collections and collecting? Whether born out of curiosity, aesthetic appreciation or financial investment, every collection ultimately reflects a story which is inextricably enmeshed with each collector’s unique identity. In the world of jewellery collecting, the most personal of collecting spheres, the genesis that gives rise to any captivating, enlightening, inspiring collection is most likely found in that one single, long coveted, achingly desired piece.
Featured in the June Fine Jewels & Timepieces auction is the Property of a Melbourne Collector, featuring a magnificent assembly of pieces, each with historical and academic significance. A plique-a-jour enamel brooch by Art Nouveau exponent Philippe Wolfers, a Persian inspired pearl, diamond, and enamel pendant by Lucien Felize, and a finely crafted naturalistic bracelet and brooch by Jules Wièse are just a few of the exceptional pieces presented.
The collection is led by an archeological revival demiparure attributed to master 19th Century goldsmith Eugène Fontenay. Working in France in the mid to late 1800s, Fontenay was one of the most technically accomplished French goldsmiths of the period, revered for superb craftsmanship and unique enamel work. Inspired by the discoveries of Roman, Egyptian, Hellenistic and Etruscan excavations in Europe during the 18th and 19th Centuries, this suite reflects a wider societal interest in classical prototypes. Ancient Egypt was of particular fascination, and interest in the culture skyrocketed so quickly that it led to the coining of the term “Egyptomania”.
The strong societal interest in archeology was naturally reflected in the arts, with the arrival of the Campana Collection of ancient jewellery purchased by Napoleon III in 1860, strongly influencing jewellery trends. The period became characterised by fine granulation, filigree decorations and intricate enamel detail. Much like his contemporaries, Eugène Fontenay utilised enameling to great effect.
Examples of Fontenay’s work can be found in the permanent collections of some of the most significant museums in the world including The British Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Philadelphia Art Museum. With so many of Fontenay’s works being deservingly held in museum collections, collectors and connoisseurs continue to clamour for rare examples to contribute to their personal collections.
This collection, along with the entire catalogue of items included in the Fine Jewels & Timepieces auction, will be exhibited in Melbourne and Sydney, with selected pieces also viewing in Brisbane, ahead of the auction on June 7th.
BETHANY MCGOUGAN / Head of Fine Jewels & Timepieces
Welcoming Patricia Kontos
Fine Jewels & Timepieces Auction Mon 7 June, 6pm MELBOURNE
OPPOSITE: Patricia Kontos, Senior Jewellery Specialist
BELOW: THOMAS MUDGE Fine Gold Pair Cased, Quarter Repeating Watch Circa 1770 $5,000-8,000 We are thrilled to welcome Patricia Kontos, formerly of Sotheby’s Melbourne, to Leonard Joel’s Fine Jewels & Timepieces team. Keep on reading to get to know our new Senior Specialist…
Tell us a bit about yourself and your background in auctions and jewellery.
I have had a lifelong interest in art and design and began in this industry after completing my arts degree at Melbourne University, majoring in Fine Art. I had no particular bent towards jewellery but upon joining Sotheby’s, there was an opportunity to grow a neglected jewellery department. I negotiated that Sotheby’s would pay for my gemmology diploma, but only if I passed, the pressure was on! I did pass, thankfully, and next came the course in jewellery style and work experience at Sotheby’s London. By now, I was hooked on jewellery. It’s hardly surprising as I had never before been exposed to this international level of jewellery collecting, or the magnificent jewels held in London institutions. Keep in mind, this was all pre-internet and completely new to me; it was a visual assault on the senses. I cemented my knowledge of jewellery for the next nine years through hands-on experience at Sotheby’s, but I began to feel restless and although I knew I did not want to leave this industry, I felt all that glittered was no longer gold in my eyes at that time. A position arose with Christie’s, and I moved to take a position in the paintings department. It was a refreshing role, though unfortunately short lived, as Christie’s pulled out of Australia. I was subsequently offered a jewellery role at Bonhams and Butterfileds in San Francisco but declined the offer to stay on as Christie's representative in Melbourne. It wasn’t long before the lure of jewellery drew me back to a role of Senior Specialist with Sotheby’s Australia, and again after nine years, the time was right to move onto a new chapter and accept a position in jewellery with the vibrant team at Leonard Joel.
Who is your favourite jewellery designer or maker?
It’s a tie between Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels - toss a coin. Cartier’s Tutti Frutti jewels vs Van Cleef’s pièce de résistance of invisibly set jewels, these Parisian jewellers have pushed the craft throughout the 20th Century beyond the bounds of jewellery to produce miniature works of art.
What is a famous piece of jewellery, from any point in history, that you would have loved to handle?
From Cleopatra’s diadem to a natural pearl pendant given to Marie Antoinette, or a necklace possibly belonging to Anne Frank, every piece of jewellery has a story to tell, a mood to evoke, a status to signify, or an occasion to celebrate. All of this offers an insight into the lives of the people who owned these pieces. Seeing as the Royal Family is quite topical at the moment, I would have loved to have handled the collection of Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, including the ingenious Cartier panther jewels. Alone, the pieces have inherent beauty and ingenuity, but they are also a product of a romance that led Edward VIII to abdicate the throne of Great Britain, which imbue them with a historical and very personal dimension.
What advice would you give to people when it comes to buying jewellery?
The old adage of buy what you love holds true; ultimately, jewellery is so personal. Keep in mind that as tastes change, lifestyles alter, and trends appear only to vanish months later, err on the side of the well-crafted with an element of design that will go the distance. Wear what you love with confidence because jewellery really does have a transformative and intoxicating power. Jewellery will always hold a role in civilisations across time, and in some diluted way every time we buy a jewel, we invoke the power of jewellery through ages past. And of course, buy at auction.
PATRICIA KONTOS / Senior Jewellery Specialist
CENTUM
Fine Jewels & Timepieces Auction Mon 7 June, 6pm MELBOURNE
OPPOSITE: Lot 105 - AN ARCHEOLOGICAL REVIVAL GOLD AND JEWELLED ENAMEL DEMI-PARURE ATTRIBUTED TO EUGÈNE FONTENAY, CIRCA 1870 Designed as a collar applied with gold wirework, granulation and jewelled enamel bead trailing foliate detail, set at intervals with florettes with cable link chains suspending a fringe of detachable amphorae pendants decorated with stylised papyri and palmettes embellished in polychrome enamels, gold wirework and garnulation, to a concealed clasp; and a pair of pendant earrings, en suite, mounted in 18ct gold, the centre pendant with glazed compartment to reverse, necklace circumference approximately 350mm, earring length approximately 52mm, unsigned, accompanied by a fitted case Watherston & Son, Goldsmiths, Jewelllers and Silversmiths, 12 Pall Mall, East London $40,000 - $60,000
The Devil is in the Detail – Photorealism in Contemporary Australian Art
Centum Auction Mon 28 June, 6pm MELBOURNE
OPPOSITE: PETER SMETS (born 1962) View Point (detail) oil on canvas 100.5 x 151cm $18,000-24,000
TOP LEFT: LAWRENCE STARKEY (born 1959) Mother and Foal - Morning Salutations oil on canvas 90 x 146cm $5,000-8,000
TOP RIGHT: MATTHEW QUICK (born 1967) Pure Greed oil on linen 100 x 100cm $5,000-7,000 What is Photorealism?
Photorealism is an art term and movement that describes art which aims to appear ‘photographic’, often with fine detail, high clarity, and a focus on realism. Originally beginning in the 1960s, the Photorealist movement involved masterful technical execution, often on a large scale, bringing together the photographic and painting mediums to reflect the post-war urban aesthetic. The early 1990s saw a renewed interest in photorealism, largely due to new technology in cameras and digital equipment.
The photorealist style is often favourable amongst contemporary art collectors. A question often asked by the public is, “how long did that take to make?”. The photorealist style shows a heightened level of detail and technical skill with a clear time dedication from the artist – something which is appreciated broadly amongst collectors from a first glance. Upon second glance, however, there is even more to delight the viewer. The devil is in the detail, and there is certainly much to observe in a photorealist painting if the viewer permits further inspection.
Many contemporary practitioners here in Australia selfidentify as photorealists, or have been referred to in critical discussion as photorealist painters. Here are three such artists to watch that are featured in our Centum contemporary art auction this June:
Matthew Quick
Matthew’s work often features a hidden narrative. Visually, we can identify quirky objects in often surreal settings which, combined with his clever and quirky titles, hold deeper meanings. In many cases he leaves us intrigued, attempting to find the root of the meaning of each work where sometimes endless stories can be surmised, blurring between photorealism, hyperrealism, and even surrealism!
Peter Smets
The sense of place in Peter’s paintings is nearly always ambiguous. We feel it is familiar, and yet fictional. While the individuals and objects may be sourced from the artist’s encounters and photographic documents, he brings them together with imagination and careful consideration. Each object, shadow, and figure is strategically placed to complete a technically brilliant painting.
Lawrence Starkey
Often described as a photorealist painter, Starkey’s subject matter of choice is clearly the horse. I can’t help but think back to Eadweard Muybridge’s 1878 photographic document of a horse galloping – not only a feat for photography but a justification of the true gallop of a horse. It’s muscles and powerful stride were now truly documented, and Lawrence’s paintings bring this admiration for these majestic creatures into the 21st Century. His more recent works delve into imaginative compositions, with overlapping images and superimposed backgrounds.
OLIVIA FULLER / Head of Art
