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Overview
The Van Cleef & Arpels saga started with the dynastic marriage of Leon Arpels' daughter Estelle to Alfred Van Cleef. Both the Van Cleefs and the Arpels family were renowned diamond merchants, and Estelle's husband joined up with his brothers-in-law in 1906 in opening up a store at 22 Place Vendome, the epicenter of the jewelry trade. The elegance of their designs and quality of their jewels made the firm an instant success. Since then Van Cleef & Arpels pioneered the minaudiere, a jeweled vanity case for ladies' cosmetics, patented an ingenious invisible setting for stones, and invented the fabled diamond "zip", among other renowned achievements. This lovely, full-color volume is a visual testimony to the success of one of the leading jewelers of modern times.Editorials
Library Journal
``Jewelers extraordinaire'' is the phrase best describing the Van Cleef & Arpels dynasty. Since the turn of the century, this house has created many exquisite and original works of art for its international clientele of celebrities and royalty. Raulet captures the glamour attending the rise and success of the firm, at the same time giving us an intimate look at the two families and the eccentricities of countless personalities they have delighted over the years. The book includes sections on prestigious transactions and acquisitions, the evolution of style, the invention of the ``serti invisible'' technique, and popular accessories of the ``minaudiere'' and vanity cases. Highly recommended. Stephen Allan Patrick, East Tennessee State Univ. Lib., Johnson CityBook Details
Published
December 1, 1987
Publisher
Rizzoli International Publications
Pages
330
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780847807543