Lee Bouvier Radziwill Collection at Christie's

A Taffin original, this amethyst and tsavorite ring belonged to Lee Bouvier Radziwill. The ring is up for auction at Christie's on October 17th. Photo courtesy Christie's Ltd. 2019.   Lee Bouvier Radziwill, American socialite, princess and designer, sadly passed away at the age of 85 this past February. Later this week, Christie's New York holds the extreme honor of presenting a selection of her jewelry collection to the public for auction. These, in addition to fine art, photography, and decorative arts from her Paris and New York home, go on sale October 17th at Rockefeller Center.  

Lee Bouvier Radziwill

At the peak of the mid-century and well into the 1970s, Lee Bouvier Radziwill captivated the fashion scene. Indeed, her effortless sense of style, coupled with her candor and authenticity, caught the eye of Truman Capote, who considered her one of his Swans. Style adviser to her sister Jackie O (Kennedy at the time), supreme hostess, and gifted designer, Lee lived at the epicenter of American politics. Equally effortlessly, she mingled among the world's most influential artists, designers, and tastemakers of that time. Fulco di Verdura, Hubert de Givenchy, Coco Chanel, Diana Vreeland, Truman Capote, Andy Warhol, Kenneth Jay Lane, Giorgio Armani, and many more considered her a friend, a muse, and a designer in her own right. She spent countless hours decorating her home, working side by side with the most influential architects and designers in the world. Her Paris and London homes prove testament to her sophistication, her glamorous elegance, and her eye for quality and beauty. They also demonstrate her taste for the exotic and unexpected. (source) As for fashion, she wore clothing designed primarily by French and Italian designers and then paired them with fashion jewelry crafted from faux pearls, rhinestones, and gilt metal. In the evening she wore Armani, Courreges, Halston, and Marc Jacobs. However, she reserved Hermes for jewelry only, scorning their "common" scarves and handbags. And she was just as likely to throw a t-shirt or sweater over her bathing suit, as she was to wrap a silk caftan around herself.  

Speaking of Jewelry

Speaking of Hermes, a set of their enamel bangle bracelets shows up as Lot 1148 in Christie's upcoming sale. Three bangles in gilt or silvered metal, printed with brightly colored, enameled geometric patterns in varying colors comprise the lot. These bangles scream Mid-Century Fashion! Indeed, Lots 1142 through 1155 represent Lee's penchant for such jewelry. Pieces by Coco Chanel, Armani, Prada, Loulou de la Falaise, Kenneth Jay Lane, Lanvin, as well as several unnamed designers demonstrate not only her unique aesthetic, but also her wide array of connections to New York's social scene. A few of her fine jewelry pieces round out Lots 1156 through 1160. A pair of unmatched, yet complementary gray cultured pearl earrings (Lot 1158), as well as a pair of stratified citrine and amethyst earrings (Lot 1156) especially caught my eye as I browsed the catalog.  

Jewels of Sentiment

Several sentimental pieces stand out, as well. Lot 1163 comprises two signet rings, one with initials MLB on the front, with the inscription CLB inside. CLB = Caroline Lee Bouvier. Obviously, a gift given by her to someone else, which she retained for private reasons. Lot 1165 is a coral and gold charm bracelet fashioned as a line of small coral beads suspending three carved coral charms, including an elephant. Christie's notes that Lee likely wore the bracelet as a child. Finally, the last sentimental piece, Lot 1166, is a moonstone and gold charm bracelet. Three moonstone cabochons alternate with yellow gold openwork links. Suspended from the bracelet is a charm fashioned as a gold whistle. Its inscription reads: "J.L.B. FROM C.L.B. July 28, 1949." Lee gave the bracelet to her sister Jackie as a 20th birthday gift. It may also have represented a parting gift, as Jackie left that year to study abroad in France. (source) Two final jewels caught my fancy. One, a Georgian era brooch. The other, a gorgeous designer amethyst and tsavorite ring.  

An Antique Brooch

Christie's describes Lot 1167 as an 18th century, adapted antique jewel from Europe. The brooch centers on a heart fashioned from amethyst, set on a foil backing. A row of clear chrysolite crystals surrounds the amethyst. A crown of chrysolite gems tops the piece, which is mounted entirely in silver. Inscribed flowering blossoms and decorative bands adorn the back. Accompanying the jewel is a box marked S.J. Phillips Ltd., London. S.J. Phillips remains to this day an esteemed antique and modern jewelry dealer founded in the UK in 1869. A rare and exciting opportunity for collectors of the Georgian period, Christie's estimates a sale value between $1,000 and 1,500. I expect it will sell for much higher, though.  

Taffin Cocktail Ring

Arguably the most dazzling piece of jewelry on offer in The Lee Bouvier Radziwil Collection is the final lot, Lot 1169, an amethyst and tsavorite garnet ring by Taffin. A thick cluster of green circular-cut tsavorite garnet crystals surrounds a weighty oval cabochon amethyst. Mounted in 18k yellow gold, the interior bears the inscription: "Lee with love Hamilton." The ring bears maker's marks for Taffin, No. TF2705. Founded in 1996, by James Claude Taffin de Givenchy, Taffin continues to operate out of Manhattan. Nephew to previously mentioned couturier, Hubert de Givenchy, James began his career working for Christie's in Los Angeles. He later moved on to apprentice with Verdura, after which he opened Taffin. Inspired by jewelry designers Susan Belperron, Rene Boivin, and Jeanne Toussaint, Taffin jewels remain singular in their boundary-breaking designs. James often pairs precious gemstones with semi-precious stones, sometimes mounting them in unexpected materials. As a designer, James finds himself attracted to the uncommon and imperfect. He routinely embraces the unusual and combines artistry, logic, and intellect to make truly one-of-a-kind jewels. (source) I imagine Lee and Taffin spending time together in his atelier, brainstorming and musing over possible combinations of gemstones, shapes, and metals. Long a friend of the artist, Lee would have felt right at home with the young designer, even well into her 80s! To learn more about the upcoming sale of Lee's collection, I invite you to visit Christie's website. ~Angela Magnotti Andrews