Rene Boivin Jeweller

Francoise Cailles. Translated by Tanya Leslie.

Quartet Books. London. 1994. First English edition. Hardback; pale yellow cloth-bound boards with gilt titles, dust jacket. 399 pages. Illustrated throughout in colour and b&w. English. 320 x 245mm. 3kg. 0704370905. Very good, in very good dust jacket; slight shelf wear, slight wear to head of spine and forecorners, slight surface wear to jacket, small mark and slight abrasion to rear jacket; slight yellowing to page edges, no inscriptions.

The  scarce, especially in English, book on the French jewellery firm Rene Boivin. The Parisian jewellery house was founded by Rene Boivin at the beginning of the 20th century and had strong links with the fashion houses of the day. The bold and colourful creations made by the firm are today highly sought after and very collectible. None of the pieces were signed, making this book an essential reference. The book examines the life and career of Rene and then his wife Jeanne, who took over the firm upon his death. It also references the other female designers in the firm - Juliette Moutard, Germaine Boivin and Suzanne Belperron. The detailed text is supported by many photos of the jewels, illustrations of sketches and archival photographs.