Cartier: Jewelers Extraordinary

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Hans Nadelhoffer

Abrams, New York, 1999, 1984, English

Nonfiction, Jewelry Design

ISBN: 9780810907706

From the Publisher. Here, for the first time, is the authorized story of this legendary firm, told with the help of never-before-published photographs and working sketches. The author was given full access to Cartier’s extensive archives. These include photographic plates dating back to the early 1900s and recording each creation in actual size. The personal sketchbooks of the Cartier family and of key designers, as well as the actual jewelry design books—many of which were, until recently, considered lost—were also made available. Jewelry of all kinds is included, along with the hardstone animals and objets de vertu that were influenced by the work of Faberge, the famous mystery clocks that are uniquely Cartier’s, and dazzling Art Deco vanity cases, gold yo-yos, diamond belts, and the much-imitated Tank Watch. Fascinating tales reveal how the fate of the Hope Diamond was determined, and that of Marie Antoinette's diamond necklace, and how two strands of pearls were traded for the building that now houses Cartier’s New York headquarters.

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Marion Fasel

On Marion Fasel’s Book List

There have been many books on the history of Cartier, but this is the first and, I believe, the best. It reveals how the French jeweler created the most exceptional jewels of the Art Deco period.

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