Cartier Art Deco Purse, ca. 1925
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GUEST:
I had a neighbor. She was an elderly woman, and she really had no family. And she was very kind to myself and my children, and she gave it to me as a gift. I never used it, I never inquired about it. It was beautiful. And I just put it away. I figured one day, I would give it to one of my children.
APPRAISER:
How long ago was it that she gave it to you?
GUEST:
I would say it was in the early '70s.
APPRAISER:
Okay, and do you have any idea how she acquired it?
GUEST:
No, I would say... She was very wealthy and she enjoyed the arts and she went out all the time. She went to the opera all the time. She had many beautiful, beautiful objects.
APPRAISER:
Well, I'm not surprised because it's a beautiful purse. First off, what we have here is this beautiful silk brocade. And this is in a Persian motif, and it's really in extraordinarily fine condition. Now, this piece is from the 1920s.
GUEST:
Oh, really?
APPRAISER:
I would date this about 1925.
GUEST:
Oh, I'm very surprised.
APPRAISER:
It is by Cartier and it is signed on the inside here. On the inside edge, it says "Cartier." And when Cartier uses those block letters, that's how I know that it's a Cartier New York.
GUEST:
Oh, really?
APPRAISER:
This was probably designed in Paris. The frame is 18 karat yellow gold, and we also have some white enamel here. The pinkish stones around the outside edge here, these are all pink tourmalines. Little diamonds inset into the buckle clasp. In addition, on the thumb tab, it's pink tourmaline as well. There was a time in the 1920s when Cartier must have acquired a large amount of this particular brocade because I've seen a number of purses, hand clutches, items that they made out of these. I even once had a cigarette case where they took this pattern and engraved this whole pattern into the surface of the cigarette case.
GUEST:
Oh, that must be beautiful.
APPRAISER:
At auction, this piece would bring anywhere between $15,000 to $20,000.
GUEST:
No.
APPRAISER:
Yes.
GUEST:
Wow, oh my goodness. Really?
APPRAISER:
Yeah. This is a phenomenal example and it's in such pristine condition. That's the beauty of this, because of the silk being in good shape.
GUEST:
I'm glad I didn't give it to one of my children to play with.
APPRAISER:
I was going to say...
GUEST:
To play dolls with.
APPRAISER:
Really, have one of the kids take it to school. (laughing)
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