Kirjahaku

For centuries, the stories of the world's great jewellery collections have lain hidden within the archives of Christie's, the celebrated auctioneers. From the tragic European queens, Mary, Queen of Scots and Marie Antoinette - both beheaded - to Hollywood royalty such as Elizabeth Taylor, the vaults sparkle with the most celebrated (and occasionally notorious) names of the last 250 years. Following on from the success of his books on Boucheron: The Secret Archives, Van Cleef & Arpels: Treasures and Legends and Mellerio: Jewellers to the Queens of Europe, author Vincent Meylan explores these remarkable jewellery archives, revealing the mysteries within for the first time. Each sale had its intrigue, each its story to tell. The first auction of jewellery from the British royal family took place at Christie's in 1773, after the death of the Princess of Wales, mother of George III. As the archives reveal, in the subsequent centuries, Christie's has been party to the sale of jewellery by several further generations of British royals, from Lady Patricia Ramsay and the Countess of Southesk through to Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. And, in the wake of revolution and regicide further afield, the crown jewels of France, Russia, Bavaria, Serbia, Egypt, India and Spain were all sold at Christie's. Aside from Elizabeth Taylor, the legendary movie star collections of Merle Oberon and Gloria Swanson are also revealed here, as well as the most famous pearls and diamonds in the world; each explored within the context of their owners' remarkable lives. Expertly curating the extensive archives, Vincent Meylan has drawn out the key details of each momentous sale. Original documents from the vaults are reproduced in the book, alongside hundreds of colour illustrations of the jewels and their owners.

From Empress Farah and the secrets of the treasure of Iran, to Queen Marie Amélie's missing emeralds, via Fantômas and the blood-red rubies of the kings of Burma, entering the world of Van Cleef & Arpels is like embarking upon a fascinating treasure hunt. In this book, Vincent Meylan explores a century in the history of one of the most prestigious Parisian jewellery dynasties. He opens doors and unlocks caskets to reveal the mysterious, and sometimes fantastic, stories of its clients and the fabulous and exceptional stones that they entrusted to the "golden hands" of Van Cleef & Arpels. The Maharani of Baroda, the Duchess of Windsor, Princess Lilian of Belgium, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlene Dietrich, Princess Grace of Monaco, Maria Callas, Barbara Hutton and the Countess of Camargo: they are all the heroines of this incredible epic full of rubies, diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires. Van Cleef & Arpels: Treasures and Legends is full of extravagant fairytales and fascinating behind-the-scenes revelations. It also tells the sometimes troubled story of a dynasty of jewellers, of gifted men and women who have, for over a century, helped to shape that inimitably Parisian art de vivre that is the envy of the world.

A jewel is more than an arrangement of precious stones - it is a story. This is the principle on which Vincent Meylan, author of Christie's: The Jewellery Archives Revealed, Boucheron: The Secret Archives, Van Cleef & Arpels: Treasures and Legends, and Mellerio: Jewellers to the Queens of Europe, has written his latest book. Now, with unparalleled access to the Bulgari archives, Meylan guides us on an intimate journey through the lives of the clients, both famous and infamous, who have given this pre-eminent Mediterranean jeweller their patronage. Paris may be the traditional home of the jeweller elite, but Bulgari embraces its Roman origins. From their early creations, inspired by Byzantine and Islamic architecture, to designs like the Trombino ring and Serpenti bracelets, which are still relevant today, Bulgari gracefully navigates the line between contemporary and timeless. Their client roster reflects their prestige. Nobility and celebrity intermingle; the Countess di Frasso shopped at Bulgari with her Hollywood superstar-beau, Gary Cooper, as did the Infanta Beatriz of Spain and Princess Maria José of Belgium. Richard Burton wooed Elizabeth Taylor with glittering Bulgari jewels, while the decadent marriage of Tyrone Power and Linda Christian featured Bulgari wedding rings. But these jewels tell tales of many genres, not just romance: from exiled Iranian Shahs to Count Cini of Monselice, held for ransom by the SS and released in exchange for Bulgari jewels. Each story is retold with Vincent Meylan's characteristic verve, embellished with original pictures from the archives. Chapters are dedicated to wealthy customers, but also to the stones themselves, tracing the evolution of this iconic Roman company through history, and the development of their jewellery from mine, to workshop, to model.