Jeweled Peacock Brooch Sold at Sotheby's for Over $132,000 May Have Been Designed by Gustave Baugrand

Ruby & Diamond Peacock Brooch Sold at Auction at Sotheby's. Photo Copyright 2013 Sotheby's. White diamonds of varying cuts (circular-cut, cushion-shaped, and rose-cut) line the ostentatious feathers of this jeweled peacock brooch. The body of the bird, paved in more white diamonds, stands in a whimsical pose, as though basking in the sun. It's eyes are set with circular-cut rubies, and its crest is made of solid gold. The bird's tiny clawed feet grasp a golden branch jeweled with more white diamonds. A striking display, indeed. This magnificent piece was sold on April 11, 2013, for 86,500 GBP ($132,172) at Sotheby's in London. It is compared in their catalog to similar jeweled peacocks made in France in the mid-to-late 1800s. Reference is made in the lot notes to the fact that Gustave Baugrand, court jeweler to Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie, made several similar peacock brooches at around this same time. One would expect that if the piece was signed by Baugrand, Sotheby's would have mentioned it. However, perhaps they do not always mention everything they know about a piece on their internet descriptions. Most certainly, it bears resemblance to another peacock brooch sold at Bonhams 1793 on September 21, 2011. The brooch sold at Bonham's was signed Baugrand and featured a body paved in circular-cut blue sapphires and plumes set with circular-cut diamonds accented by square-cut emeralds and round-cut rubies. Though the bird does not appear quite as whimsically posed, the arrogant tilt of its head could indicate a similar sense of humor. From this cursory comparison, it is the cuts of the stones, as opposed to the actual lines of the bird that indicate that these two brooches may have been made by the same designer. It definitely lends credence to the assertion that the birds may have been made around the same time and perhaps in the same region, but closer inspection is required to ascertain whether they were actually both made by Baugrand. Moving down to the feet of both birds, each one grasps a natural object, one a jeweled branch and one a sizable round pearl. The similarity appears to end there. The feet of the peacock pictured above are detailed and anatomically correct, whereas the feet on the Baugrand brooch are two-dimensional and stylized. The wings are also drastically different. In the brooch sold at Sotheby's, the wings are prominent and paved with diamonds. In contrast, the wings on the Baugrand brooch, made of unadorned gold, are placed vaguely along the body of the bird. Again, the one is more anatomically accurate, while the other is more impressionistic in its representation. Upon examination of the tail feathers, the sharp peaks and valleys defining the individual tail feathers on the brooch sold by Sotheby's don't quite match up with the rounded, almost flower-like tips on the Baugrand bird. However, the lower tier of feathers in the diamond peacock do have a similar rounded, flower-like shape to them. Indeed, I believe further examination of more peacock brooches* by Baugrand would is required to decisively determine whether he crafted this bird, or whether it is a beautiful imitation of his work. *Here are a few more photos of verified Baugrand peacock brooches: Wartski (Exhibited 2001); Christie's (2001 Sale)