just had to leave a comment on this blackamoor thread, if anyone's interested and happens to be in the Amsterdam vicinity, there's divine 17th/18th century blackamoor Hatpin in the Rijksmusem in Amsterdam of German origin embellished with pearls and diamonds to gawk at. Natural Pearls!
Rating
Possibly Cartier - Special Blackamoor Fur Clip by: Anonymous
Hi Aleta thanks for writing in.
uhm... interesting. You may indeed have a special blackamoor fur clip. It certainly does look very similar to the link you provided. How is the condition of your Blackamoor? And as legendary Vogue editor & socialite Diana Vreeland herself noted in her memoirs :
"My little blackamoor heads were the chic of Paris in the late 30s. When I moved to New York, I made arrangements for Paris Cartier to sell them to the new York Cartier, and all I can tell you is that the race across the ocean was something fierce." These clips were worn in lieu of buttons.
Illustrated in "Cartier 1900-1939" by Judy Rudoe, p.24. and in " les bijoux de l'Art Deco aux Années 40", by Melissa Gabardi, p. 202.
If you do get your little blackamoor item appraised & valued, which i think is advisable, mention what you have discovered to the appraiser and quote the book reference above. The more info & images you can provide the better the results.
Blackamoors were originally made in Venice, the head or bust of a young male negro or black African depicted (in jewelry) and originally made of black onyx. The Blackamoor cameo of Venice were of male and female heads and were also produced elsewhere in the 16th & 17th centuries.
