[frank22]

Book: "Secret archives: Boucheron"


"The Greville case deserves a whole book to itself. To tell you the truth, you will find a whole chapter about mrs greville. I could not reproduce every thing, but you will see mrs greville's original tiara, before it was made into the losange shape we know, her emerald tiara, her two diamonds necklaces which, in my opinion could be the origin of the two we know and which now belong the Duchess of Cornwall.

The book is written around the clients, with original photographs from the jewels, portraits of the clients, original invoices and sometimes letters from them. It will be 450 pages with about 300 illustrations black and white and colour. I have tried to stick all the time to the original archives to give the reader the feeling he discovers them. They are reproduced with the photographs and the letters in full page so that everyone can read them like i did when i opened the archives books myself. Boucheron has given me an amazing freedom in using anything i found, untill 1958, ( after that date everything remains confidential). The book should give you a good glimpse into the collections of La Païva, La Castiglione, La Belle Otero, Mrs. Consuelo Vanderbilt, Marie Louise Mac Kay, the famous Mrs. Kelch who, believe me, did not collect only easter Fabergé eggs, Gertrude Vanderbilt, the Mrs. Astor, empress Alexandra of Russia (one piece only but beautidul), some grand dukes, king Farouk of Egypt, a few egyptian princes, the whole collection of emeralds of the the maharajah of Patiala, lady Harcourt, the duchess of Roxburghe, a lot of pearls, Joan Crawford, The Camondo family, Rita Hayworth, the duke of Windsor before Wallis, Sarah Bernhard...and some crown jewels of Iran... Just to mention a few.
Last but not least, Boucheron has given me the authorisation to publish their most secret archives, their book of stones. It is the book where all the famous stones which passed thrue their hands during one century have been reproduced and classified : diamonds, rubies, pearls, saphirs, emeralds. It is a fascinating document. The book will not be a "coffe table book" it is a normal book, a bit bigger, but text and illustrations are equal. We made this choice because we wanted to sell it cheap. So the price, in France and anywhere in the world i guess, will be 25 euros. And to tell you the truth, there MIGHT be, another REALLY AMAZING book in spring. But this one is not sure. I'll let you know if it happens. It should be decided within a few weeks. Sorry if i seem to be advertising my own books, but it isreally only about jewelry and a lot of royal jewelry”. By Vincent
Source:

Royal Jewels of the World Message Board: Re: To franck