Featured designers

BuCCellati

opening in milan in 1919 and then expanding to rome and Florence, mario Buccellati’s work quickly gained acclaim amongst royalty. Four of his sons entered the business and continued the legacy. In 1951, Buccellati became the first italian jewelry designer with a location on Fifth avenue in new york city. producing jewelry using a wide variety of precious materials, the firm is synonymous with class, elegance and fine craftsmanship.

BVlGari

Hailing from greece, sotirios Bulgari traveled to italy in 1880 carrying with him the silversmith art honed by his family since the Byzantine era. opening in naples and producing archeological revival jewelry, he soon developed a large enough following to require larger premises and additional locations. during the early twentieth century, sotirios’s sons had a major impact on the character of Bulgari’s style. From the 1920’s to the 1960’s, the inspiration stemmed mainly from the latest French designs and included jewelry made in the edwardian, deco, and reotro styles. By the 1970’s the focus again shifted to creating a unique style all their own and it is this desire that drives their work still today.

Cartier

Founded in 1847 by louis-Francois cartier, this French house has remained at the forefront of fine jewelry generation after generation. vastly expanding the reputation and reach of the firm were Louis-Francois’ grandsons who are responsible for establishing the name as a worldwide luxury icon. creating extravagant works for the clients ranging from the French royals to Hollywood’s elite, cartier is responsible for producing some of the most recognizable and sought after jewels known for their feminine style and timeless elegance.

Castellani

Opening his first shop in Rome during the year of 1814, Fortunato rio castellani, was a frequented shop by the aristocracy while on their grand tour. castellani based his jewelry designs off of the archaeological digs that were occuring in italy at the time. He was the founder of the archaeological revival style, where he would incorporate cameos, intaglios and micromosaics to recreate the look of ancient jewelry.

daVid weBB

at the age of 16 david Webb traveled to new york city in 1941 to start his education in jewelry. opening his own location in 1946 with business partner nina silberstein, he began to produce jewelry in the bold and bright style his name became synonymous with. Known predominantly for work such as the famous bracelets designed in playful animal motifs, the firm also produces classic jewels constructed with fabulous stones and delicate details. GurHan

Gurhan Orhan first fell in love with metalwork when taking apart an old radio as a child growing up in turkey. at the age of 40, after having had several careers, including nightclub owner and watchmaker, gurhan became captivated by 24 karat gold. He was drawn to the warmth, depth, and sensuality of the metal, but was told it was too soft to work with. drawing upon thousands of years of research and documentation, gurhan taught himself the methods and techniques required to master the medium, adapting and modifying ancient tools in the process. today he is “proud of bringing ancient technique to the present day” and creating beautiful and wearable pieces from pure gold.

Hammerman BrOs.

Founded in 1946 by three brothers, Hy, Ben, and Bernard, Hammerman Bros. was a manufacturing jeweler that offered fine quality jewelry to retailers across the country. experiencing much success, they decided to expand to include watch production and boutique items, as well as diamond cutting. Following in their tradition of exquisitely fine jewelry, Hammerman Bros. diamonds are often valued around one million dollars. Hammerman Bros. is still family-owned and operated, and their jewelry is sold not only in the united states, but also in europe, the middle east, and asia.

Harry winstOn

nicknamed “the King of diamonds”, Harry Winston was a master of creating excitement surrounding his work. Beginning in the 1920’s he made a name for himself buying estates containing important stones. His best known transaction was the purchase of evelyn Walsh maclean’s collection which most notably included the Hope diamond. the Harry Winston aesthetic combines exceedingly fine stones with minimalist settings designed to highlight only their inherent beauty.

Henry dunay

Founding his new york based studio in 1965, Henry dunay went on to achieve fame for first producing one-of-a-kind pave diamond designs and then transitioning to his well known collection featuring precious metals in a wide variety of meticulously crafted textures. He is renowned for creating his finest works by first finding the perfect stone and then building the piece around it.

OsCar Heyman & BrOtHers

parlaying expertise gained while apprenticing at Faberge in russia, the Heyman brothers drew upon their skill to produce wondrous jewels at their New York offices. The inherent quality of their art has led top names such as cartier and van cleef & arpels to commission pieces from them. Valuing every step in the creation of fine jewelry, the firm goes so far as to alloy their own gold and platinum. they also make their won tools to perform the painstakingly exact stone setting that sets their work apart. pateK pHilippe

patek philippe has been at the forefront of innovation in the science of timekeeping since the mid 1800’s. collected by passionate watch lovers the world over, the company has produced some of the most complicated timepieces while maintaining a classic aesthetic and superb quality.

tiffany & Co.

the best known jeweler in the united states and perhaps the world, Tiffany & Company has, for much of its history, exhibited the best gems from around the world and work from some of the finest jewelry designers. The reputations of such luminaries as Schlumberger, Claflin, Peretti and cummings were forged while working for this great house. not limited to any one genre, Tiffany has produced an astounding array of jeweled art over its history and continues forward today with their global reach.

Van Cleef & arpels

starting with a marriage between two families both intimately involved with the jewelry arts, this Parisian firm founded in 1898 has created a unique character all its own. its exclusive pieces have been eagerly collected by royalty and celebrity alike. credited with many innovations in construction and design, this master jeweler is also known for having the highest standards for their gems. only using stones of the very best quality and rarity, a jewel by van cleef & Arpels is viewed first as art and then accessory.

Verdura

the colorful persona of Fulco santostefano della cerda, duke of verdura, always comes through in the bold designs of his firm. Working with coco chanel in paris early in his career, the duke went on to establish his own salons in both new york and paris. He won praise and followers for marrying the warm tones of yellow gold to stones chosen more for their brilliant colors than for their rarity. The firm lives on today under the landrigan family who faithfully creates jewelry based on the incredible sketch work that the duke left behind.

diamOnds - tHe 4 C’s

LEsLIE HIndman aUctIonEErs

upCOminG auCtiOn sCHedule

561 | impOrtant jewelry and fine timepieCes april 10 – 11 | cHicago

564 | fine furniture, deCOratiVe arts and silVer april 18 – 19 | cHicago

565 | luxury aCCessOries and COuture april 20 | cHicago

573 | arts Of tHe ameriCan west april 21 | denver

568 | fine BOOKs and manusCripts may 1 | cHicago

600 | sCientifiC instruments may 2 | online only

569 | mOdern desiGn may 7 | cHicago

609 | ClassiC Glass may 8 | cHicago

608 | a numismatiC COlleCtiOn frOm tHe estate Of sCOtt e. straHan, iii may 21 | cHicago 570 | pOst war and COntempOrary art may 23 | cHicago

571 | fine prints may 23 | cHicago

572 | ameriCan and eurOpean art may 24 | cHicago

610 | pHOtOGrapHy may 24 | online only

605 | HermÈs aCCessOries june 12 | online only consignments due april 13

603 | desiGner silVer jewelry june 13 | timed online only

574 | fine furniture, deCOratiVe arts and silVer july 17 – 18 | cHicago consignments due may 18

575 | interiOrs august 1 – 2 | online only

578 | impOrtant jewelry august 27 – 28 | cHicago consignments due june 28

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers offers a complete range of appraisal and auction services designed to assist you. If you have property to sell, be it a single item, a large collection or an entire estate, please contact us for a complimentary evaluation at 312.280.1212 or consign@lesliehindman.com.