The Best of Everything

Collectibles Main

 

 

Joan's Stuff:

Joan Crawford Jewelry

 

Precious / Semi-Precious       Costume

 

 

For additional info on some of the same designers/jewels:

Click here to see 12 photos plus further descriptions of Joan's jewelry, from the 1992 book Hollywood Jewels. (Thanks, Vincent!)

 

 


 

Precious and Semi-Precious

 

Designer:    Adrian       Cartier        Ruser       Verger Freres      Raymond Yard      Misc.

 

 

Adrian-Designed Bracelet

(3rd-anniversary gift from husband Phillip Terry)

 

 

 

 

 

Above: 2015 Kentshire Galleries description (via 1stdibs website): A Retro gold, amethyst, and diamond bangle bracelet, the open tapered front featuring curved and scroll motifs set with a large rectangular amethyst and square-cut diamond accents, in 14k. Designed by MGM's Gilbert Adrian for Joan Crawford. Inscribed, "Dearest, the third step on our bridge you have built so well. I love you forever and a day - Phillip. 21 July 1945." Amethyst measures approx. 33 x 20mm; atw 17 diamonds 2.55 cts. Interior circumference approx. 6.5".

 


 

Cartier Gold Bracelet

 

 

From the 2013 Sotheby's Australia catalogue: 18ct gold bracelet from 1971 (lot 164 estimate $35,000-40,000) featuring seven hammered-gold oval plaques alternating between Cartier’s signature ‘X’ shape links.

 


 

William Ruser Amethyst Suite

 

 

  

 

Above:  Amethyst suite appearing at the Masterpiece London 2014 antiques show. Designed by William Ruser, now owned by Fred Leighton jewelers. (Above article from "Town and Country" magazine, June/July 2014.)

 


 

Verger Freres for Boucheron Parure

 

    Publicity for 'The Women,' wearing the parure.

 

Above: From jckonline.com in 2011:


"This brooch, bracelet, and necklace—created by Parisian jewelry house Verger Frères for Boucheron circa 1935 and acquired by the future Oscar winner soon thereafter—feature 131 cts. of oval-cut aquamarines and 11.5 cts. of round brilliant-cut platinum-set diamonds in 18k yellow gold with rose gold accents. 'If you look at photos of Joan Crawford,' says Stephen Burton, ­managing director of
Hancocks, the London ­jeweler that now owns the shining trio, 'you’ll see that she wore this suite, or part of it, throughout her whole life.' (That includes in her most famous film, 1939’s The Women, in which she played a husband-stealing perfume-counter girl.) But Crawford wasn’t the set’s only celebrity owner: A year after her death in 1977, Andy Warhol purchased the parure during a sale of her estate."

 

The suite was sold at a Sotheby's NY auction of Warhol's jewelry and watches in 1988. Hancock's of London first auctioned it in 2009. As of 2014, it is owned by Neil Lane Jewelry and featured in a 2014-2015 display at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts.

 

Below: The Boucheron parure as displayed at the Boston MFA in 2014-2015. (Thanks to Roland Hui for these photos.)

 

   

 

 


 

Raymond Yard Citrine Set

 

    1944 Warners publicity wearing the Yard set.

 

Above: This citrine set from M.S. Rau Antiques was displayed at NYC's Park Ave. Armory in October 2014. From a description of the show on jewelsdujour.com: "A citrine necklace and bracelet set formerly in the collection of Joan Crawford garnered attention for its important provenance but also for the sheer size of the citrine stones in the suite. Crafted by renowned American jeweler Raymond Yard in 1940, the necklace features a citrine weighing a whopping 350 carats and its matching bracelet boasts a pair of citrines whose combined carat weight totals 130 carats." M.S. Rau's asking price is $285,000.

 

Below:  In December 1995, the set was auctioned by Sotheby's, as part of its "Important Jewelry" collection. Valued at between $10,000 and $15,000 at that time.

 

 

 

 

Raymond Yard Platinum and Diamond Bracelet

    1933. Wearing the Yard bracelet at LA's Cocoanut Grove.

 

 

Below: Original drawing for the bracelet by Raymond Yard.

 

 

 


 

Misc. Designers

 

   

Above:  Rhinestone and pearl brooch. At right, as worn in 1957's Esther Costello. Auctioned on eBay May 2021 by reps of former fan-club member "Jeanette."

 

Joan's Pepsi brooch. 2-1/8 in. 14k gold, ruby cap, with emeralds and diamonds.

Offered at auction at Doyle New York on 12/7/11.

 

 

 

Above: c. 1935 platinum art deco necklace, with 172 diamonds, by Stephen Russell. Valued in 2009 at $195,000.

Presented at the Golden Globes' red carpet show in '09 by Platinum Guild International.

 

Above:  6.5 carat gold and rhinestone ring by Geoffrey Beene.

 

 

Bracelet of 14k gold, platinum, star sapphires, star rubies, diamonds.

 

 

A collar encrusted with semi-precious stones, including topaz. From a Roslyn Herman auction.           Topaz and rhinestones.

 

 


 

 

Costume

 

Designer:  Joseff of Hollywood

 

Joseff website: Star Signature Spotlight: Joan Crawford

From the Joseff site:

Joan Crawford was a huge fan of Joseff jewelry. She made a regular habit of purchasing duplicates of pieces that she'd worn for publicity shoots with the studios, and for that reason, can be seen in many promotional photos wearing items that are later seen in candid shots of her off-set. This habit of hers (as well as several other prominent actresses of the day) is what prompted Joseff to launch the retail line, so that every woman could "feel like a star." The retail line was so popular that it went on to be sold at retail outlets all over the country, such as Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom's, and Lord & Taylor. 

One such personal order that Joan made was a reproduction of this bell necklace, which she loved so much that she demanded one for herself. When the time came to pick it up from the Joseff studio, she was so excited that she rushed off and left her fur coat! She had return for it the following week. 

As much as her life was complicated by controversy, we at Joseff of Hollywood prefer to remember her as Joan Castle Joseff did: a fellow petite, feisty red-head full of determination and grit!

 

           

 

Above left and center: Brass bell necklace by Joseff. 125 functional bells; 18 inches long; drapes 7 inches in front.   Above right:  Joseff bell bracelet.

Below:  Joseff creations worn by Joan in 1946 and 1949 (Flamingo Road).

 

     

 

 

 

Above: Joseff studio guestbook signed by Joan, 1/9/46.

 

 


 

 

Joan's faux gold ram-headed bracelet. From the William Wilt collection.       Joan's 'lucky watch,' given to Hollywood psychic John Cohan in the '50s. She told him it helped her survive two car accidents.

 

16-inch '60s rhinestone necklace from Sydney Guilaroff's '95 auction.        Costume necklace.       From the 1960 Helen Turpin collection.       Faux jade necklace, currently auctioned on the Roslyn Herman site for $225.

 

 Costume necklace.

 

  Costume brooch.           Rhinestone brooch, 2-1/2 inches wide. Joan left this lying around the set of '51's 'Goodbye My Fancy' and co-star Janice Rule snatched it! First auctioned in the '90s.           Costume brooch, 2-1/2 x 1-3/4 in. By Marboux, from a Mr. Jeffries' collection.

 A gold-coated pin being auction online in Feb. '05 starting at $225.      A brooch.      Costume brooch from makeup man Gordon Bau's auction

 

A slider watch. A slider watch.

 

   Crystal earrings being auctioned off online in Feb. '05 starting at $250.     Joan's lavendar and silver earrings. Being auctioned online 9/05.    Costume earrings.

 


 

The Best of Everything