Jewellery and Silver by Bulgari which will be sold at auction by Christie's International . Wednesday February 17, 1993. (Auktionskatalog).

Gutes Exemplar. - Text von Diana Scarisbrick. - Englisch. - Like the ancient Romans before them, Bulgari have set their stamp on an empire which reaches far beyond the confines of their native Italy. In addition to the flagships of Tokyo, Rome and New York, there are now thirty shops world-wide, two of them in London. Just as the Emperor Augustus imposed Roman law and institutions on his subject peoples, so Bulgari makes absolutely no concessions to local tastes: the stock and designs of the shops are identical everywhere. It is this universality which is the secret of their success. Bulgari jewellery can be worn with equal panache by all women, whether of oriental or western birth, of whatever type of beauty-blonde, red-head or brunette-and irrespective of age. Whereas most modern designs seem to repeat each other, and differ only in minor details, a Bulgari jewel stands out, being quite unlike anyone else's, yet striking a balance between originality and elegance. How has this come about? The story begins in 1879, when the founder, Sotirio Bulgari, came from Greece to seek his fortune as a silversmith in Rome. He prospered and by 1905 had premises not only in the Via Condotti, but branches in Naples and the resorts of Lucerne and St. Moritz. The name, 'The Old Curiosity Shop' which he chose for his enterprise, taken from the title of the novel of Charles Dickens, shows that his aim was to attract the attention of the many noble and rich British and American visitors brought by boat and railway to the towns of Italy and Switzerland. He must have made sure that a call at the St. Moritz shop would compare with the many agreeable distractions offered by the spa 'on the roof of Europe'. There, every summer, the young connoisseur Bernard Berenson was in his element, staying in the comfort of the Hotel Caspar Badrutt. � (D. S.) / . A LADY'S GOLD EVENING BAG ---- The ribbed gold oval exterior of shell design with pave-set diamond push-piece, the interior with fitted mirror and two compartments, silk handle, gross weight 394 grams (including mirror) ---- Signed by Bulgari AN EXQUISITE GEM-SET, DIAMOND AND 18K GOLD ORANGE TREE ---- With chrysoprase and gold leaves, and coral oranges in a lapis lazuli pot to the mother-of-pearl and circular-cut diamond stand, circa 1970, in a pink leather fitted case ---- With jeweller's mark for Bulgari ---- AN 18K GOLD, ENAMEL AND DIAMOND COMPACT ---- The ribbed gold and white enamel oval exterior of shell design with pave-set diamond thumb-piece, the interior with fitted mirror, lipstick holder and powder compartment, circa 1970, gross weight 198 grams (including mirror, enamel slightly chipped) ---- Signed by Bulgari, no. 130 ---- A GOLD AND DIAMOND EVENING BAG ---- Of oval section, the matt and polished ribbed gold exterior with cushion-shaped diamond push-piece, gross weight 354 grams, in a black silk fitted case ---- Signed by Bulgari ---- (u.v.v.a.m.)