Hair pins
large Swiss hair pins, silver gilt and Rhinestones
The large hair pins from Switzerland are up to 28 centimetres long in gold plated silver and are decorated with a design in relief of filigree and Rhinestones. It is not at all certain that they were worn in Alsace, though the Alsace museum displays them. They are usually found to bear Swiss hallmarks and not really compatible with the headdresses worn in Alsace.
The Alsace cross
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gold cross from Alsace, front |
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gold cross from Alsace, back
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The cross of Alsace is a small and heavy Latin cross with a thick fixed suspension ring. The ends are molded and decorated with fleur-de-lys designs. The arms are decorated on the Christ side by a rosette in relief, on the side with Mary, by three rosettes.
gold cross from Alsace, front |
gold cross from Alsace, back
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Rings
Three rings from the Messe region, two in gold-filled and one in silver
These rings were previoulsy in the historic collection of Maximin Deloche
Peasant ring from Strasbourg in silver and glass
The Jeannette cross from Alsace
croix Jeannette en or émaillée
The Jeannette cross of Alsace has the particularity of having an enameled central cartouche, otherwise it is identical to the Jeannette crosses of other regions.
Non-traditional regional jewellery from Alsace - Lorraine
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Alsatian pendant in gold with plique-à-jour
enamel and motif of stork and thistles
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Alsatian brooch in mother-of-pearl
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Brooch with stork motif, gold |
antique gold brooch with stork motif
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Alsatian brooch in gold, enamel and porcelain
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Gold stork pendant |
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Gold and enamel stork pendant |
pendant in silver celebrating the restitution of the Alsace territory to France after World War I, circa 1918
PATRIOTIC ART FOR THE ANNEXATION
OF ALSACE-LORRAINE 1870-1918
The 1870 conflict between Napoleon III's France and Prussia resulted in a defeat of the French armies, badly led by an unqualified command. In 1871, after the signing of the Treaty of Frankfurt and the drawing of the new frontiers to the East; Alsace, the Moselle and parts of Lorraine were annexed to the Reichsland.
The whole of France would mourn the Lost Provinces. National unity would be built around an exacerbated and bellicose patriotism that would draw strength in the hope of "Revenge". In 1874, Léon Gambetta, addressing the subject of the frontier, recommended: "Let us always think about it, never speak about it!"
From 1871, symbolic jewels would be created to allow everyone to express his patriotism and their support for "Alsace-Lorraine", an anachronistic concept designed for the purpose of national unification. The first would be made by Parisian jewelers including Alexandre Piel and Marc Gueyton. They would be mainly marketed in 1871 and 1872. In Nancy, propelled to the rank of capital of the East of France, the artists of the School of Nancy would also express their patriotism through their works. Among them were jewelers who would use the Lorraine specific allegorical symbols: the thistle, the eaglet and the cross of Lorraine. They would design a jewellery model with codes and standards well defined and identifiable at a glance. These adornments were to quickly become a real fashion phenomenon.
The cross of Lorraine would soon attain the rank of an emblematic symbol, recognised by all, of resistance, nationalism and revenge. These achievements were to be so successful that many Parisian jewelers, some of whom had emigrated from Alsace, would seize the occasion. Progress in the metal stamping process soon allowed for mass production, at low cost and the designs would gradually invade the fashion sector and everyday objects.
From 1871 to 1918, according to the passions, historical events, religious, nationalistic or patriotic manifestations and the trauma of the Great War, these jewels so characteristic were to discreetly accompany the destiny of the French. Worn for half a century, they would become the silent but oh so visible witnesses of this "eternal" thought towards the lost provinces.
These moving objects, sometimes naive, but also works of art in their own right, are an integral part of the Little Story that builds the Great!
BRUNO FERRY
Author of the book - L’art patriotique face à l’annexion - Alsace-Lorraine - 1871-1918. Editions du quotidien, Strasbourg, 2015.
Most of the following photos are taken from this book which retraces, in 400 pages of jewels, charms and various objects, the history of this virtually unknown patriotic fashion.
patriotic brooch in gold with Lorraine cross and thistle motif
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Broche en argent patriotique "Alsace-Lorraine". Noeud en crêpe noir, cocarde et croix de Lorraine émaillées
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Croix en bronze argenté crée pour les fêtes du couronnement de Notre Dame de Sion (Meurthe et Moselle) le 10 septembre 1873.
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Bijou patriotique avec les trois symboles lorrains réunis sur une même broche : l’alérion, le chardon et la croix de Lorraine. Métal argenté.
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Croix de Lorraine blasonnée
en argent ciselé.
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Broche florale en argent à volutes finement ciselées.
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Croix de Lorraine en argent ciselé
aux extrémités fleurdelisées.
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Broche patriotique en argent d’inspiration Art Nouveau.
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Pendant de cou en argent
de style Art Nouveau.
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Broche en argent et vermeil
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Pendentif Art Nouveau
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Broche patriotique au chardon lorrain en métal estampé argenté.
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French folk dress and coiffe from Alsace, antique photo
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French folk dress and coiffe from Alsace, antique glass plate photo
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French folk dress and coiffe from Alsace, antique glass plate photo
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Alsatian regional costumes
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Alsatian regional costumes, postcard with German stamp.......
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Book - Traditional French Jewellery - order here direct from the author
Dear collectors, auctioneers, dealers and jewellery lovers,
You have visited the site www.bijouxregionaux.com which since 2009 has listed all regional and traditional French jewellery, without advertising and without sales. By popular demand, this website is now finally available as a book, much more complete and with many new photos and texts that are not on the site. I traveled more than 4,500 km in 2020 to visit the various collectors and museums of France and to photograph, weigh, measure and examine their jewellery.
Large format of 23.5 x 30 cm, 304 pages, hardcover and fully illustrated with over 1300 jewels in color, this book is the first complete book on French regional jewellery and corrects the many errors and gaps observed in the other references and presents other regional jewels hitherto unknown to the public. You will find eight full pages on Breton pins and fibulae and many other jewels in museums and private collections that are not on this website. Over four months of research has gone into making the chapter on hallmarks the most reliable ever seen - clear illustrations of hallmarks have been made especially for this volume. And for the first time, collectors will have access to a complete list of all the assay office symbols, small signs withn the hallmarks that identify in which city the jewellery was hallmarked. The opening and closing dates since 1798 of the hallmark offices are also listed for the first time, allowing, with the office symbol, to better date your jewellery.
The print run of this book is very limited, which is why I recommend you order early. You will love this book I have had nothing but compliments and many clients have ordered more to offer as gifts.
To order, you can send a wire transfer or WISE transfer to Michael Fieggen - FR76 4061 8803 9700 0403 3233 171 – BIC – BOUSFRPPXXX - address Mike Fieggen, 280 rue Saint Honoré, Paris, 75001 France
Bank or wire transfer by www.wise.com in Sterling – Account holder - Michael Fieggen
IBAN - GB68TSBS30916200184462 BIC / SWIFT - TSBSGB2AXXX
Sterling cheques and PayPal welcome to address demosthenesparis@gmail.com.
Any questions ? Contact me at bijouregional@gmail.com or by telephone at + 33 1 4015 9000
One copy in French €75 Postage and packing €9 for France, €8 for Europe and overseas
Two or more copies in French €75 each Postage and packing €9 for the lot in France, overseas postage €8 each
One or more copies in English £75 sterling each Postage and packing £8 sterling each
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Contact me with your suggestions, corrections, photos, questions and comments!
contents:
croix d'Alsace - broche alsacienne - croix de Lorraine - bijoux des régions de France - les bijoux des Français - les bijoux de France - bijoux régionaux - bijou régional - croix écotée - pendentif Saint Esprit - Saint Esprit d'Aurillac - rose de Velay - collier d'esclavage - croix de Puy en Velay - croix d'Auvergne - bijoux d'Auvergne - bijoux auvergnat - collier Saint Esprit de Puy en Velay - croix de Velay - bijoux d'Auvergne et du Velay - costume regional - bijoux régionaux - coiffe - coiffe auvergnat - bijoux des régions de France - bijoux régionaux - les bijoux traditionnels Français - croix régionales - Léon Giron - Antoine Raspal - Thomas Desgeorge - Estella Canziani - esclavage auvergnat - antieke zeeuwse streeksieraden in zeeland friesland- Streeksieraden in Zeeland
