Origin of Name
The origin of the name Chrysanthemum Brooch is self
explanatory, as it is based on a naturalistic theme, represented by the
Chrysanthemum flower. This unique fresh water pearl brooch with a
creative design in the form of a Chrysanthemum flower, was designed and
executed by the chief jewelry designer of Tiffany's, New York, in 1904,
G. Paulding Farnham, incorporating natural freshwater pearls from the
tributaries of the Mississippi River.
Characteristics of
the brooch
The brooch is
composed of freshwater "dogtooth" pearls
The Chrysanthemum brooch which is a reflection of the
consummate skill of the master designer of Tiffany's at the turn of the
20th century, Paulding Farnham, demonstrates the creative use of
freshwater Mississippi pearls, in combination with diamonds,
gold and platinum. In the early 1900s George Frederick Kunz, Tiffany &
Company's world renowned geologist and gemologist, discovered an
abundance of freshwater pearls in the Mississippi River valley. Most of
these pearls were elongated in shape and were known as "dogtooth"
pearls. The predominant color of these pearls was pink.
Chrysanthemum Brooch
© AMNH
Description of the
brooch
The designing of the Chrysanthemum brooch was an
ingenious attempt by Paulding Farnham to put the abundant supplies of
"dogtooth" pearls into some form of creative use. The "dogtooth" pearls
were drilled and mounted on gold spikes radiating from the center, in
almost concentric whorls, the innermost whorl containing the shortest
pearls, and the length of the pearls increasing gradually towards the
outermost whorl. The shape of the pearls almost resembles the shape of
the "ray florets" of the Chrysanthemum "flower." It is important to
remember that contrary to popular belief the Chrysanthemum "flower" is
not actually a flower but an inflorescence known as the head or
capitulum, made up of an aggregate of florets known as "ray florets" and
"disc florets." The particular variety of Chrysanthemum used by Paulding
Farnham as his model in designing this brooch, consisted of a
predominance of ray florets, with the disc florets almost hidden in the
center. The stem and two serrated leaves of the Chrysanthemum bloom, is
made of gold and platinum and studded with sparkling diamonds.
Chrysanthemum inflorescence
History of the
Chrysanthemum brooch
The Chrysanthemum
brooch was given as a gift to comic opera star Lillian Russell ?
An inscription on the brooch "L.R. Dec 04" reveals
that the brooch belonged to the internationally renowned singer and
comic opera star, Lillian Russell (1861-1922), who was reported to have
had a close romantic relationship with the bachelor millionaire Diamond
Jim Brady, well known for his penchant in collecting jewels, especially
diamonds. Diamond Jim Brady was known to have showered Lillian Russell
with extravagant gifts of diamonds and gemstones, and perhaps the
Chrysanthemum brooch might have been one such gift, symbolizing
happiness and amiability. However, Tiffany's
website reveals that the brooch was presented to the comic opera star
Lillian Russell in 1904, but does not specify the donor. The text of this
web article may also imply that the brooch was a gift by the company
Tiffany & Co. to the renowned singer and star. The month December
04, undoubtedly refers to the month and year the brooch was designed and
presented to the famed star.
The World's largest
ecosystem that supports the largest number of species of freshwater
mussels
Freshwater pearls are produced by freshwater mussels
belonging to the family Unionidae of bivalve mollusks, found in
unpolluted, standing or flowing waters rich in oxygen, calcium and
suspended food particles, such as algae and other organic matter. North
America is the home of the world's richest and most diverse assemblage
of freshwater pearl mussels, consisting of around 300 species out of
around 1,000 species found worldwide. Out of this a greater
concentration of species (127 species) are found in a single large
ecosystem in the United States, the rivers and streams of the Ohio river
basin, which includes rivers and streams in 13 states :- Ohio,
Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, New York,
Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Tennessee and Virginia.
Some of the large river systems where freshwater mussels occur in
abundance are the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee. Out of the 127
different species of freshwater mussels found in the Ohio River basin,
only about 20 species are commercially harvested.
The discovery of the
first freshwater pearls in America since the time of the ancient Indians
Archaeological evidence suggests the exploitation of
freshwater mussels by native Indians in America, that extends back to
several millennia. Besides using the mussels as a source of food, the
discarded shells had other multiple uses such as, production of tools
and utensils, like hoes, spoons and scrapers, production of ornamental
jewelry, used as tempering in pottery manufacture, and used as currency.
The occasional pearls that were discovered in the mussels were mainly
used for ornamental purposes. The first freshwater pearl discovered in
North America since the time of the ancient Indians was in 1857, when a
93-grain pink pearl was discovered by a carpenter named Jacob Quackenbush, in the streams of Notch brook, near Paterson City, New
Jersey. The pearl was purchased by Charles L. Tiffany, the founder of
Tiffany & Co. for $1,500, and later sold in Paris to a French gem dealer
for $2,500, who in turn sold it to Empress Eugenie, the Empress Consort
of Napoleon III, and came to be known as the "Queen Pearl." This
discovery set off a "pearl mania" in New Jersey, in which hundreds of
thousands joined in the search for freshwater mussels in the streams and
rivers of the State, that led to the discovery of substantial quantities
of pearls, but led to the decimation of the pearl populations due to
overexploitation. The fever spread to other neighboring states such as
New York, Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Kentucky,
Illinois, Tennessee etc. where too substantial quantities of freshwater
pearls were discovered.
Abundant supplies of
freshwater mussel shells led to the setting up of the largest
mother-of-pearl button manufacturing industry in the world
The abundant supplies of freshwater mussel shells
from the rivers and lakes of southern, eastern and central United
States, led to the setting up of the largest mother-of-pearl button
manufacturing industry in the world, in the United States, which by the
year 1912, had over 200 button manufacturing plants. The multi-million
dollar industry begin to decline rapidly after 1930, due to over
exploitation, and the dwindling supply of shells. However, in spite of
the decrease in production, the industry survived until World War II.
After World War II, plastic buttons were produced, that displaced the
shell buttons, and this resulted in the demise of the mother-of-pearl
button manufacturing industry in the United States. The death of the
mother-of-pearl industry was bad news to the economy of the United
States, but good news to the freshwater mussels, which after decades of
overexploitation were given the chance to recover.
The revival of the
freshwater mussel fishery in the 1950s after the discovery that American
freshwater mussel shells provided the best bead nuclei for Japanese
cultured pearls
However the mussels did not enjoy the respite for
long, for in the early 1950s Japanese scientists came up with an
alternative use for the American freshwater mussel shells. Scientists
discovered that the American freshwater mussel shells provided the best
material to serve as the bead nuclei for the Japanese cultured pearls.
The finding resulted in the large scale importation of freshwater mussel
shells from the United States to Japan, and to the revival of the
dormant freshwater mussel fishery. It was during this time in 1954, that
John Latendresse founded the Tennessee Shell Company, that eventually
became the main supplier of mussel shells for the cultured pearl
industry. The mussel shell exports to Japan was worth around $50 million
in the 1990s, and a by product of this industry was the occasional
natural freshwater pearls discovered in the mussels. Thus John
Latendresse was able to build up the largest collection of natural
freshwater pearls ever put together by an individual collector.
Shapes of natural
freshwater pearls
The most common shape of natural freshwater pearls is
baroque or irregular. However, freshwater pearls can also exist in a
variety of different shapes such as wings, slugs, rosebud, turtleback,
feather, button, drop, snail, angel. round, semi-round, near-round,
off-round, teardrop and dogtooth. Some of the pearls like dogtooth
pearls can be found as clusters inside the mussel.
Colors of natural
freshwater pearls
The color of the pearl is determined by the color of
the pearly nacre on the inner surface of the shell, which can vary from
pure white to shades of pink, salmon, gray and purple. Thus the pearl
that develops inside the mussels can assume any on e of these colors.
However, the most common color found in freshwater pearls is white,
followed by pink, rose, lavender and purple. Other rare colors in which
they occur, include cream, yellow, green, blue, brown and red.
Chrysanthemum pearl brooch exhibited
in the traveling exhibition Pearls : A Natural History
The Chrysanthemum pearl brooch which is now part of
the collection of Mr. and Mrs. R. Weatherly was given out on loan to the
American Museum of Natural History, New York, to be exhibited at the
traveling exhibition organized by them in collaboration with the Field
Museum of Chicago, known as "Pearls - A Natural History." The
exhibition which was first held in October 2001, at the AMNH, New York
City, has since been hosted in several museums around the United States,
and also in countries like Canada, France, Australia, Japan and Abu
Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The exhibition features more than 600
pearl exhibits, ranging from a replica of the largest pearl ever
discovered, the 14.5 pounds "Pearl of Islam" to pearl jewelry and
fashions, that had once been used by renowned personalities and
celebrities like Queen Victoria, Marie Antoinette, Audrey Hepburn,
Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor.
History of pearl
jewelry designing by Tiffany & Co. the makers of the Chrysanthemum Pearl
Brooch
Dr. George Frederick
Kunz is appointed as geologist/gemologist for Tiffany & Co
Tiffany & Co., a household name in the
international jewelry trade, which was founded in the year 1837, has
been internationally renowned since its inception as a supplier and
dealer of the finest pearls in the world, set in exquisitely designed
jewelry. The founder of the company Charles Lewis Tiffany (1812-1902),
engaged the services of one of the World's most eminent
geologists/gemologists, Dr. George Frederick Kunz (1856-1932), to source
for the highest quality pearls, gemstones and diamonds, to be used in
the creation of the wide range of jewelry for which the company became
famous for. While still in the services of the company, Dr. G. F. Kunz
wrote his famous work on all aspects of pearls and pearl industry in the
world, titled "The Book of the Pearl," which is still regarded by many
as a standard source of reference on the subject.
Charles Lewis Tiffany- Founder of Tiffany and Co.
George Frederick Kunz
Tiffany & Co. was a
prime player in the development of the natural freshwater pearl industry
in the United States
Tiffany & Co. was undoubtedly a prime player in the
development of the American natural freshwater pearl industry, since the
discovery of the first freshwater pearl in North America, the
Paterson/Queen pearl, in 1857, by paying attractive prices for the
pearls discovered by prospectors. It was the lure of the lucrative
prices paid for pearls by companies like Tiffany & Co. that prodded on
the prospectors to scout for more freshwater pearls. The first pearl
discovered in America was purchased by Charles Lewis Tiffany, the
founder, who paid $1,500 for the 93-grain pink pearl, and later sold it
to an agent of Napoleon III for $2,500.
Mary Todd Lincon
Tiffany & Co. designs
a pearl jewelry set for Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of President Abraham
Lincoln
Tiffany & Co. gained international recognition for
some of its pearl jewelry creations. Among the first such creation that
gained international prominence was the exquisitely crafted pearl
jewelry set created for President Abraham Lincoln, who gifted it to his
wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, on the occasion of his first inauguration. The
pearl parure consisted of a necklace, a pair of earrings, a bracelet and
a brooch, all set with seed pearls, probably of Persian Gulf origin. The
pearl set is currently preserved in The Library of Congress, in
Washington D.C.
Tiffany & Co. are
awarded the gold medal for their display at the 1889 International Paris
Exposition
In the late-19th century, Tiffany & Co. gained
unprecedented international recognition at some of the World's great
industrial and trade exhibitions, and pearl jewelry created by the
company played no small part in attaining such recognition. The
company's lavish displays of jewelry creations, showcased the innovative
designs of Paulding Farnham, the chief jewelry designer of Tiffany's,
whose extraordinary creations won more honors than that of any other
jewelry designer of his time. Farnham exhibited extraordinary skill
in combining colored gemstones and pearls in his jewelry creations, that
was inspired by a wide range of influences from botanical and native
American motifs to Orientalism. At the 1889 International Paris
Exposition, Tiffany's were awarded the gold medal for their display that
included three of Farnham's exquisite creations, the Hupa Brooch whose
motif was based on the basketwork of Alaskan Indians, and incorporated
with pearls from Ohio's Miami River, the Florida Palm Brooch, set with a
Montana sapphire, pink pearls and diamonds and pearl and diamond spider
brooches, perfectly naturalistic and accurate to the finest details.
Tiffany & Co. was the
main producer of high-end pearl necklaces by the end of the 19th century
In Tiffany's history, pearl necklaces occupied pride
of place and were among the most expensive jewels designed by the
company. At the World's Columbian Exhibition held in Chicago in 1893,
the company displayed a magnificent single-stranded pearl necklace
consisting of 38 natural pearls and price marked at $200,000. By the end
of the 19th century, Tiffany's was the main producer of high end pearl
necklaces of waist length, catering to the elite of American society,
and one of the pearl necklaces put together for Mrs. George Gould, the
New York socialite was priced at well over a million dollars.
Tiffany & Co. repeats
its gold medal feat at the World's Fair in Buffalo
Again in 1901, at the World's Fair in Buffalo
Tiffany's repeated its gold medal winning feat, acquired by two other
creations of Paulding Farnham, an Italian Renaissance style gold
pendant, incorporating diamonds, rubies, emeralds and American
freshwater pearls, and an East Indian style brooch incorporating a
101-grain pale-purple pearl, a 64.5-carat cat's-eye and a 28-carat ruby.
Another renowned piece created by Tiffany's in 1904, was the
Chrysanthemum Pearl Brooch, the subject of this webpage, incorporating
American freshwater dogtooth pearls and diamonds, that was presented
to the famous comic opera star Lillian Russell.
Louis Comfort Tiffany
Joint effort by Louis
Comfort Tiffany and George Frederick Kunz in popularizing American
gemstones
Louis Comfort Tiffany, the son of the founder Charles
Lewis Tiffany, the leading Art Nouveau style designer in America, worked
together with the company's geologist/gemologist George Frederick Kunz,
in popularizing American gemstones and pearls, by creating innovative
designs. One such effort was the incorporation of baroque pearls in
jewelry designs created by Tiffany's from the year 1907, introducing the
beauty of the baroque pearls to American jewelry lovers.
Tiffany & Co.
continues to maintain its high quality standards in designing all types
of jewelry
Today Tiffany & Co. continues with its age-old
tradition of incorporating pearls of different kinds and the highest
quality, sourced from different parts of the world, in its jewelry
designs, such as Akoya pearls from Japan, irregular-shaped keshi pearls,
freshwater pearls, mabe pearls, South Sea pearls from Australia and
Philippines and black Tahitian pearls. The ultimate perfection in
Tiffany's designs is the signature pearl strand composed of luminous
South Sea pearls, uniformly matched for size, shape, color, luster and
other important characteristics.
A short biography of
Lilian Russel
Her early life and
events that led her to choosing an operatic career
Lillian Russell was a great comic opera star and
singer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, acclaimed both
in America and Europe. Russell who was born in 1861 in Clinton, Iowa,
was the daughter of Charles E. Leonard, a newspaper publisher and
Cynthia Rowland Leonard, a feminist and author. In 1865, the family
moved to Chicago where Lillian received her education in the Convent of
the Sacred Heart, and the Park Institute. Her parents separated in
1878, when she was 17, and she moved to New York with her mother, where
she studied singing under Leopold Damrosch, in anticipation of pursuing
an operatic career. Her extraordinary physical beauty, and sweet
voice were great assets that assisted her in embarking on the career of
her choice. She had her first break in her career, when she joined the
chorus of Brooklyn Park Theatre. In November 1879 she had the
fortune of making her first appearance in Broadway, billed as an
"English Ballard Singer" at Tony Pastor's Casino Theatre.
Lillian Russell
Her carrier from 1879
to 1882
Later in 1879
she joined the chorus of a touring production of Gilbert and Sullivan's
comic opera, H.M.S. Pinafore. This assignment was significant in her
life, for just two weeks after joining the company, she married the
orchestra leader Harry Graham, her first husband. In the following year
after the death of their infant child, the couple were divorced. Then
followed a series of acting roles starting from 1881, as Mabel in
"Pirates of Penzance," in Tony Pastor's theatre, as Djenna in "The Great
Mogul" at the Bijou Theatre, as Bathilda in "Olivett," with McCaull
Opera Company, as Aline in Gilbert and Sullivan's "Sorcerer" and the
title role also in Gilbert and Sullivan's "Patience."
Her carrier from 1883
to 1893
In 1883 she
returned to Pastor's Casino Theatre, and played the role of Phoebe in
"Billy Taylor" for which music was composed by Edward Solomon. Russell
married her second husband Edward Solomon in 1884 and sailed with him to
England, where she played roles in several of Solomon's productions such
as Virginia in "Paul and Virginia," and title characters in Polly and
Grundy and Pocahontas. They returned to New York in the winter in the
winter of 1885, and toured the following season for Tony Pastor in
Solomon's comic operas. However, in 1886 Solomon was arrested on charges
of bigamy.
Russel continued her acting career, starring in comic
operas and other musical theatre in Broadway Theatres, in a variety of
roles in different productions. For several years Russell reigned as the
undisputed queen of opera singers in America, her voice, beauty and
stage presence taking the audience by storm. Russell's singing voice was
used to inaugurate the first long distance telephone service introduced
by Alexander Graham Bell, from New York City to Boston and Washington
D.C. on May 8, 1890.
Her career from 1893
to 1919
In 1893, she filed for divorce from Solomon. She then
joined the J.C. Duff Opera Company, with whom she toured for some time.
In 1894, she married her third husband John Haley Augustin Chatterton,
who used the stage name Giovanni Perugini, but they separated after only
six months. Between 1895 and 1899, she continued to play lead roles in
various productions in different Broadway Theatres, but had a declining
audience. Thus in 1899 she joined the Weber and Fields Music Hall,
starring in their comic operas and other entertainments until 1904. She
then had vocal difficulties, with deterioration of her voice. However,
she did not retire from the stage, but instead switched to non-musical
comedies, touring with James Brookes. In 1911 she again returned to
singing. In 1912, she married her fourth husband, Alexander Pollock
Moore, owner of the "Pittsburg Leader," and made her last appearance on
Broadway the same year, in Weber and Fields "Hokey Pokey." In 1915,
Russel appeared with Lionel Barrymore, in one of her few motion picture
appearances "Wildfire" based on the 1908 play of the same name in which
she appeared. She continued singing in Vaudeville until 1919, when she
finally retired from the stage due to ill health.
Her life after
retirement until her death in 1922
During the years of her retirement she wrote a
newspaper column, became a strong advocate of woman suffrage, and
lectured on health, beauty and love. During World War I, she recruited
for the Marine Corps, and helped raise money for the war effort. In
1922, Russell toured Europe, on assignment for President Harding, as
special investigator on immigration; a fact-finding mission to
investigate the increase in immigration. Her recommendations included a
five-year moratorium on immigration, and led to the immigration reform
law of 1924. She died at her home in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania on June 6,
1922, aged 61, shortly after her arrival from the fact-finding mission
to Europe.
Diamond Jim Brady
Lilian Russel's
romantic association with Diamond Jim Brady
During her lifetime Lillian Russsel was also known to
have had a close romantic association with businessman James Buchannan
Brady, also known as Diamond Jim Brady, an American businessman,
financier and philanthropist. Brady was well known for his penchant in
collecting jewels, especially diamonds. His collection of jewels and
jewelry was estimated to be worth in excess of $2 million in the early
20th century, which adjusted to present day values is about $50 million.
Brady is said to have showered Lilian Russel with extravagant gifts of
diamonds and gemstones, and supported her extravagant life style.
A short biography of
George Paulding Farnham
G. Paulding Farnham's
talents recognized by Charles Lewis Tiffany, the founder of Tiffany's
George Paulding Farnham, the renowned jewelry
designer, artist and sculptor, was born in 1859 in New York. In the year
1885, at the age of 26 years he joined the Tiffany's design department,
probably under the aegis of his uncle, Charles T. Cook, the
vice-president of the company. He started a period of apprenticeship
under Edward C. Moore, the director of the silverware division. His
training in the Tiffany's design studio involved drawing directly from
specimens brought into the studio. His interest in three-dimensional
representation led him to modeling and sculpture. His grasp and
understanding of proportion and balance in sculpture, undoubtedly had a
profound influence in his ability to excel in the creation of unique
jewelry designs that eventually received international acclaim. Farnham
quickly distinguished himself as a skilful and innovative artist. His
talents were recognized by the founder Charles Lewis Tiffany
(1812-1902), who appointed him as director of the jewelry department in
the 1890s, and towards the end of the century as overall art director.
Paulding Farnham
attains international recognition at the 1889 Paris International
Exhibition
Prior to the Paris International Exhibition
held in 1889, Farnham and Moore were jointly assigned the task of
designing the pieces of jewelry that were to be exhibited at the
Tiffany's stall at the exhibition. Tiffany's jewelry exhibits at this
exposition, received international acclaim and won an unprecedented six
gold medals, and Farnham was universally recognized as the genius behind
this achievement. Farnham's Art Nouveau jewelry designs in the form of
enameled and bejeweled orchids, exactly similar to the natural specimens
to the minutest detail, in structure as well as color, were hailed by
jewelry experts as exceptional and difficult to be imitated. "The
copying of flowers in jewelry, is of course no new thing, but the
orchids of Messrs Tiffany are the first that we have seen, and it would
be impossible to surpass them, whether for cleverness of imitation or
for perfection of workmanship." said Gustave Stickley, leader of the
Arts and Crafts movement, a view also shared by the French art critics.
Apart from this naturalistic theme, they were also impressed by
Farnham's array of colorful designs inspired by a variety of sources,
such as native American pottery, historical designs from France
belonging to the periods of Louis XIV, XV and XVI, Eastern European
designs, and jewelry from India and Japan.
Paulding Farnham
repeats his feat in the exhibition of 1890
In the following year, Farnham again helped Tiffany's
to repeat its previous year's triumph, as jewelry designed and
exquisitely crafted by him, won the grand prize for jewelry at the
exhibition. However the success achieved by designer Farnham was
actually a joint effort by him and Tiffany's geologist and gemologist
George Frederick Kunz, who is said to have provided him the raw
materials in the form of an array of colored stones such as Montana blue
sapphires, Arizona turquoise, Mexican fire opals, demantoid garnets,
pink topaz and pink conch pearls
Paulding Farnham
resigns from Tiffany's in 1908, and becomes a full-fledged artist
In 1902, After the death of Charles Lewis Tiffany,
the founder of the company, he was succeeded by his son Louis Comfort
Tiffany (1848-1933), who became the second vice-president. He also took
over part of the duties of Farnham as art director, and in 1907 replaced
Farnham as the overall art director of the company. Farnham who was
unhappy with the developments in the company, began selling his shares
in the company, and on June 2, 1908, tendered his resignation. That
ended the career of a creative jewelry designer who attained
international fame within a short period of his career. However the loss
for the world of decorative arts was a gain for the world of creative
arts, such as painting and sculpturing. Farnham migrated to the west
coast of America, where he settled down in Mill Valley, California, and
became a full-fledged painter, turning out some extraordinary works of
art, in keeping with his genius.
You are welcome to discuss this post/related topics with Dr Shihaan and other experts from around the world in our FORUMS (forums.internetstones.com)
Related :-
1)
Queen Pearl/Paterson Pearl
2)
Survival Pearl
External Links :-
1)
Tiffany & Co. For The Press / About Tiffany & Co.
/ Tiffany Pearls
References :-
1) Chrysanthemum Brooch, Pearls : A Natural History -
website of the American Museum of Natural History
2) Pearls : A Natural History, International Art
Treasures Web Magazine
3) Tiffany & Co. For The Press / About Tiffany & Co.
/ Tiffany Pearls
4) Paulding Farnham - Antique Jewelry University,
www.langantiques.com
5) More about Paulding Farnham, Tiffany's designer
extraordinaire - Janet Zapata, Magazine Antiques, March, 1999.
6) Lilian Russel - From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia
7) Russel Lilian - River Campus Libraries, University
of Rochester, www.library.rochester.edu
8) Chrysanthemum - From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia
