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an antique gold and enamel broochle with leaves and flowersa close up of a ring with flowers and leaves on ita gold and enamel bracelet with leaves and pearlsa close up of a gold and pearl broochera close up of a gold bracelet with leaves and pearlsa close up of a gold broochle with leaves on ita pen that is sitting on a table with a white backgroundclose up of a gold and diamond ring on a white surface
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Estimate €45,000 - €65,000
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Description
RENÉ LALIQUE Dog collar plate mounted as a brooch, ‘Feuilles d’Aubépine’ Pliqué-à-jour enamel and old-cut diamonds 18k gold (750) Signed Circa 1900 Dimensions: approx. 5.2 x 8.3 cm - Weight: 47.3 g An enamel, diamond and gold brooch, signed Lalique Description: Although documented since antiquity, it was at the court of Marie-Antoinette that the choker made a striking appearance, adorning the aristocracy in the form of fabrics, lace and bows. After the Reign of Terror, the red ribbon tied round the neck took on tragic symbolism for the families of those guillotined. It was not until the end of the 19th century that the choker regained its prestige around the neck of Alexandra of Denmark, where, to conceal her scar, it became wider, was adorned with pearls and evolved into the ‘dog collar’. This gave rise to a fashion trend that swept through both the aristocracy and the emerging bourgeoisie: the ‘dog collar’ became a staple, often worn as a black velvet ribbon adorned with an antique-style cameo. With the advent of Art Nouveau, René Lalique—since regarded as the inventor of modern jewellery—reimagined the dog collar, transforming the ribbon into rows of natural pearls and setting a prominent decorative element at its centre, on which he favoured innovative combinations of techniques, such as plique-à-jour enamel juxtaposed with precious materials: diamonds, pearls and gold. It was this enamel, applied to open-backed metal compartments, that enabled him to explore the full richness of transparencies and colour nuances. His decorative vocabulary, meanwhile, draws heavily on the plant world, fuelled by the influence of Japonism and his taste for sinuous forms.  Originally designed as the central motif of a dog collar, the piece on display has been mounted as a brooch and offers a remarkable synthesis of Lalique’s aesthetic. The composition, centred on hawthorn branches and leaves, unfolds as a delicately intricate plant motif, brought to life by the famous ‘whip-like’ line characteristic of Art Nouveau. The plique-à-jour enamel, crafted in a subtle monochrome palette of greens, lends the leaves a translucent, almost organic appearance, whilst the diamonds, set at the heart of the composition, evoke the tree’s berries. The gold, left visible within the structure of the design, emphasises the contours of the leaves and twigs and contributes to the balance between opacity and transparency. Our dog collar pendant thus fully embodies the innovative approach to jewellery championed by Lalique: a precious object in which the materials – enamel, gold and gemstones – serve the design, and where nature becomes the true subject of the creation.
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About the sale JEWELLERY
Auction location
Auction time 10/29/2026 at 2:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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