Renowned for its Art Deco creations and use of extraordinary colored gemstones in outstanding designs, Mauboussin is lauded as one of the finest of the French jewelry design houses. The firm started in Paris in 1827, a challenging time in France when the country was plagued with a cholera epidemic, war and revolutions. However, despite these obstacles, Paris was the heart of creativity, with a lively art scene that attracted creatives to the City of Light and jewelry was part of that movement.
Mauboussin Apprentices for His Uncle
Gambling on better days ahead, jewelry maker Rocher, decided to open up a workshop on Rue Greneta with his partner Jean-Baptiste Noury, who later took over the firm, renaming it Maison Noury. By the middle of the 1800s, France had become more politically stable and the wealthy were buying jewelry. Under Noury the company had won a medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1878. Noury had a nephew, Georges Mauboussin, who he hired as a workshop apprentice. It proved to be a good move, by 1883, Mauboussin was managing the workshop, taking over the firm in 1898 as sole proprietor. When George Mauboussin took over Maison Noury, Paris had a reputation for being the international capital of jewelry making.
After World War I was over, Mauboussin made the decision to move the business closer to the bustling Opera District. In 1923, he moved the company to Rue de Choiseul, housing the entire business there including lapidary and diamond cutting workshops, designers and setters. The ground floor of the space became a private showroom with no windows so that clients could make their purchases discreetly.
Mauboussin: Art Deco Glamour
Paris, during the 1920s was known for its cosmopolitan ambience that was the center of culture. Princes from Russia and Maharajahs from India were all in Paris, cavorting with writers, authors, artists, fashion designers and jewelers. It was a time that was made for creativity and newness as the world was moving full speed ahead into modernism. Parisians had developed a taste for the exotic, fueled in part by the flamboyant Ballets Russes and the bold silhouettes of fashion designer Paul Poiret. Mauboussin rose to the occasion and created opulent jewels using gemstones that at the time were considered both exotic and innovative. He created pieces using jade, pearls, mother-of-pearl, coral, lapis lazuli and carved colored gemstones from India. The designs were highly influenced by the Cubist movement and its linear aesthetic. It is widely believed that jewelry makers in France were the first to use platinum in their creations and Mauboussin was one of the earliest jewelers to use the new technology that made it possible to turn platinum into extravagant creations.
The jewelry was exquisitely crafted and showcased spectacular gemstones, all of which dazzled visitors at the major international exhibitions where the firm displayed its collection, leading to a lot of recognition and a number of awards. Mauboussin won a major prize at the French Exhibition in New York, 1924; a gold medal at the Decorative Arts Exhibition, Paris in 1925; as well as honors from the Galliera Exhibition, Paris 1929 and the Colonial Exhibition in 1931.
Jeweler to the Maharajah of Indore
The Maharajah of Indore, Yashwant Rao Holker, was one of Mauboussin’s most prominent clients. The Maharajah was a connoisseur of Art Deco jewelry and was known to have a penchant for design. In 1933, he personally appointed Mauboussin as his official jeweler. It was an important job, as Mauboussin created jewelry to be worn with ceremonial apparel using precious gemstones from the Maharajah’s collection including the two pear-shaped Indore Diamonds and the Porter Rhodes Diamond.
Concurrently, the design house had been opening new locations with a branch in New York City that opened in October 1929, not the greatest timing as the stock market crashed later that month plunging the economy into a deep depression. It did work out for Mauboussin, who formed a partnership with jeweler Trabert & Hoeffer, doing business under the name Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin, setting up a flagship store on Park Avenue. The partners opened a few stores in the U.S. catering to a client list that read like a who’s who of Hollywood including Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Paulette Goddard, Marlena Dietrich and Egypt’s Queen Nazli, all enchanted by the extravagance and sophistication of the jewelry.
Coming to New York City
At the 1939 New York World Fair, Mauboussin introduced convertible jewelry, made for modern lifestyles. These innovative pieces did double duty, such as a brooch that became dress clips or a pendant. When World War II began, platinum was declared a strategic metal for war use, making gold the height of fashion once again. Mauboussin’s creativity was on full display as the design house worked the metal in such a way that it created the texture of fabric. In 1946, right after the war ended, Mauboussin moved to a new location, 20 Place Vendome.
During the 1960s and 1970s, New York became an important hub of fine jewelry. The two decades ushered in a time of great change, in general jewelry became more figurative with florals, birds and bright colors, especially turquoise and coral, taking centerstage at Mauboussin.
The 1980s brought a new aesthetic to the jewelry at Mauboussin. Ornate designs were made simpler, emphasizing the curves of the piece and its tactile qualities. In 1990 the company introduced watches. Currently, Mauboussin creates jewels that mirror the diversity of their international clientele and the collective feelings and emotions that jewelry evokes.
Art Deco diamond, ruby and platinum bracelet, circa 1925, signed Mauboussin; Carved jadeite, carved rock crystal, carved emerald beads, diamond, black enamel, platinum and 18-karat gray gold brooch, signed Mauboussin Paris, circa 1930-1935; Art Deco diamond, sapphire, emerald, aquamarine, black enamel and platinum lapel watch, circa 1927, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Mauboussin; 2.03-carat ruby, diamond and 18-karat yellow gold ring, signed Mauboussin Paris, numbered with French marks.
Authored by Amber Michelle