New kitty!

BigPurseSue

BigPurseSue

O.G.
Sep 13, 2007
6,399
5,384
  • #4
    I adore this bracelet! What a great buy. It reminds me of the Florenza leopard pins and broaches from the '60s. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-FLO...t=Vintage_Costume_Jewelry&hash=item19d451be88
    Although I always wondered what the heck those leopards were doing, what they were hanging from and <shudder> I hope they were intended to be still among the living and not hanging from some hunter's saddle. :-s

    Your leopard is much nicer! Love the amethyst.
     
    Ratnapur

    Ratnapur

    Gem rescuer!
    Jan 9, 2011
    736
    3
  • #5
    BigPurseSue said:
    I adore this bracelet! What a great buy. It reminds me of the Florenza leopard pins and broaches from the '60s. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-FLO...t=Vintage_Costume_Jewelry&hash=item19d451be88
    Although I always wondered what the heck those leopards were doing, what they were hanging from and <shudder> I hope they were intended to be still among the living and not hanging from some hunter's saddle. :-s

    Your leopard is much nicer! Love the amethyst.
    Click to expand...

    Thanks! It arrived today, I polished off the tarnish, and Mr. Leo sparkles now.

    I've always wondered about the hanging leopard motif. I also dislike it. It looks as if the poor animal is in pain or dead. I personally don't buy any of my animal pieces in that style. The only precedent I have for the motif is from the Order of the Golden Fleece that the French kings wore (in fact, Marie Anoinette's Louis' one housed the French Blue diamond, now known to be the Hope Diamond). The fleece was represented by a a sheep hanging like that. I'm wondering if the motif has its origins in ancient classical Greece or Rome? Also, modern jewelers made the motif popular in the 1920's-1930's quality jewelry (did the Duchess of Windsor have one of her Cartier pieces like that, or am I imagining it???).
     
    BigPurseSue

    BigPurseSue

    O.G.
    Sep 13, 2007
    6,399
    5,384
  • #7
    Ratnapur said:
    Thanks! It arrived today, I polished off the tarnish, and Mr. Leo sparkles now.

    I've always wondered about the hanging leopard motif. I also dislike it. It looks as if the poor animal is in pain or dead. I personally don't buy any of my animal pieces in that style. The only precedent I have for the motif is from the Order of the Golden Fleece that the French kings wore (in fact, Marie Anoinette's Louis' one housed the French Blue diamond, now known to be the Hope Diamond). The fleece was represented by a a sheep hanging like that. I'm wondering if the motif has its origins in ancient classical Greece or Rome? Also, modern jewelers made the motif popular in the 1920's-1930's quality jewelry (did the Duchess of Windsor have one of her Cartier pieces like that, or am I imagining it???).
    Click to expand...

    Why I think you're absolutely right that the hanging leopard evolved from the sheep motif of the Order of the Golden Fleece! It's so very similar except that it's a leopard.

    I think Liz Taylor had a hanging leopard piece. Who knows, may have come from the Duchess of Windsor?

    Ratnapur said:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Golden_Fleece

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope_Diamond

    The first one is a bit long, but you may enjoy the Hope diamond link! Enjoy!
    Click to expand...

    Thank you so very much for the links! I just spent the past hour reading them in enjoyment and astonishment. Amazing how many times the Hope Diamond was sold to pay off debts. I'm glad it has a permanent home at the Smithsonian. I saw it there years ago and even behind glass it was breathtaking.

    I'm glad to hear the leopard bracelet polished up nicely. I have a kitty jewelry collection of both big and small cats, but I was forced to put it on a permanent new acquisitions ban about a dozen years ago. It's amazing how you get inundated when word goes out that you have a kitty jewelry collection. In fact it's pretty amazing how many kitty sweater pins that are out there in the world. :P
     
    Ratnapur

    Ratnapur

    Gem rescuer!
    Jan 9, 2011
    736
    3
  • #8
    BigPurseSue said:
    Why I think you're absolutely right that the hanging leopard evolved from the sheep motif of the Order of the Golden Fleece! It's so very similar except that it's a leopard.

    I think Liz Taylor had a hanging leopard piece. Who knows, may have come from the Duchess of Windsor?



    Thank you so very much for the links! I just spent the past hour reading them in enjoyment and astonishment. Amazing how many times the Hope Diamond was sold to pay off debts. I'm glad it has a permanent home at the Smithsonian. I saw it there years ago and even behind glass it was breathtaking.

    I'm glad to hear the leopard bracelet polished up nicely. I have a kitty jewelry collection of both big and small cats, but I was forced to put it on a permanent new acquisitions ban about a dozen years ago. It's amazing how you get inundated when word goes out that you have a kitty jewelry collection. In fact it's pretty amazing how many kitty sweater pins that are out there in the world. :P
    Click to expand...

    I saw the Hope diamond many, many years ago, when I was a teenager. I have to admit, at the time, I was not impressed with it! I'm not crazy about the new setting; I think they should've kept it in the original setting.

    I also don't believe in the supposed curse. If you think about it, the kind of people who could afford such a stone could also afford to lead the sort of lifestyle that could lead to tragedy: gambling, wasting money, drinking, etc.
     
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