While visiting the Universal Exhibition in their hometown of Paris at the turn of the 20th century, the three Cartier brothers—grandsons of the founder of the venerable jewelry house—were awe-struck by the exquisite craftsmanship of Carl Fabergé's creations and the seeds for a long-standing international rivalry were planted. As part of their quest for the greatest luxury clients on the planet, both firms—one French, the other Russian—decided to open a showroom abroad. They chose not only the same city, London, but the same location, New Bond Street—and so the scene was set for an epic battle.
Join curator Kieran McCarthy and best-selling author Francesca Cartier Brickell for a sumptuously illustrated talk about the relationship and rivalry between two of the greatest names in luxury in the early 20th century.
McCarthy curated the Victoria and Albert Museum’s recent sellout exhibition Fabergé in London: Romance to Revolution, is a member of the advisory board of the Fabergé Museum in St. Petersburg, an advisor to collectors and institutions on Fabergé’s work, and recently revealed the rediscovery of one of the lost Imperial Fabergé Easter eggs.
Brickell’s great-great-great-grandfather founded Cartier in 1847, and her late grandfather Jean-Jacques Cartier was the last of the family to manage and own a branch of the world-famous jewelry firm. She speaks on Cartier's illustrious history for major auction houses, museums, and societies internationally.
McCarthy’s book Fabergé in London: The British Branch of the Imperial Russian Goldsmith (ACC Art Books) and The Cartiers: The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewelry Empire (Ballantine Books) by Brickell are available for purchase.
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