Jewelry M.S. Rau | Art Deco Egyptian Revival Brooch By Cartier

Crafted During The Glamorous Art Deco Period, This Egyptian Revival Brooch By The Legendary Cartier Embodies One Of The Most Important Influences On Turn-Of-The-Century Jewelry Design: The 1920S Craze Known As Egyptomania. Diamonds, Sapphires And Lapis Lazuli Gemstones Are Formed Into A Fanned Design, Echoing The Design Aesthetics Of The Art Deco Era While Incorporating Materials And Motifs Shared With Ancient Egypt. Set In Platinum, The Brooch’S Streamlined Design Melds Ancient Egyptian Stylization With Art Deco Geometry.

With The Rediscovery Of King Tut’S Tomb And Its Subsequent Opening In 1923, Breathtaking Jewels, Talismans And Other Burial Objects Were Unearthed. Images Of The Treasure Trove Of Antiquities In Newspapers Worldwide Spurred An Infatuation With Ancient Egyptian Culture, Often Referred To As “Egyptomania.” A Collector Of Ancient Egyptian Artifacts Himself, Louis Cartier Sought To Incorporate His Own Fervor For Egyptian Design Into His One-Of-A-Kind Jewelry Creations. Not Only Did He Draw Inspiration From Antiquity, But He Also Used Ancient Artifacts And Amulets Culled From His Personal Collection To Create Unique, One-Of-A-Kind Pieces Such As This. Each Piece Was An Entirely Unique Work Of Art Only Made By Special Order, Making Them Extraordinarily Rare On The Market.

Created By Cartier For Just A Brief Period, Jewelry Creations Such As This Are Remarkably Rare And Highly Sought After. Comparable Pieces Were Exhibited By The Designer At The French Industrial Exposition In New York In 1924 And The Paris Exposition Internationale Des Arts Décoratifs Et Industriels Modernes In 1925. Set In Its Cartier Box, This Unique Brooch Is Among The Modern Masterpieces Of French Jewelry Design.

Circa 1928

1 5/8” High X 1 1/8“ Wide