ADAM'S Fine Jewellery & Ladies Watches 2nd December 2025

63 54 CARTIER: A SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND BUTTERFLY BROOCH, CIRCA 1940 Designed as a butterfly, the wings and body of polished and reeded de - sign, body set with a square-shaped sapphire and wings accented with brilliant-cut diamonds, mounted in 18K gold, signed Cartier London, num- bered, with maker’s case, length 2.2cm (spring fitting) € 1,500 - 2,500 55 CARTIER: A CORAL, ENAMEL, DIAMOND AND PEARL BLACKAMOOR CLIP BROOCH, CIRCA 1950 The black enamelled bust wearing seed pearl earrings, on a reeded gold neck and wearing a cream enamel turban with Corallium rubrum coral and rose-cut diamond detailing, mounted in 18K gold, signed Cartier Paris, numbered, with partial maker’s mark, French assay marks, length 3.3cm For a similar example, see Étourdissant Cartier by Nadine Colaro, Edition du Regard, page 23. € 6,000 - 7,000 Blackamoor (or Moretto) is a traditional Venetian jewel whose origins date back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. These pieces typical- ly depict a stylised figure with a darkened complexion, often rendered in enamel or carved ebony, and adorned with ornate clothing, gem-set tur - bans, and rich goldwork. The motif reflects the historical presence of North African and Middle East - ern ambassadors, traders, and dignitaries at the Venetian court. The city located at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and the East, celebrated these encounters as symbols of cosmopolitan prestige, diplomacy, and cultural exchange. In recent history, blackamoor figures have been a source of controversy for their distinct ‘othering’ of figures of African descent through a theatri - cal augmentation of their dress and physiology. Despite this, they remain a popular collectable within the art world, granting a valued insight into Venetian artistic and cultural traditions. Notable collectors and wearers of blackamoor jewellery include the late Vogue editor Diana Vreeland and the former director of the Museum of African Diaspora in San Francisco, Denise Bradley Tyson. “Every time I wear one,” Tyson says, “they always provoke a response and provide me with an opportunity to educate about the history of the Moors.”