Parisian Virtuosity in an Age of Collaboration

1st April 2026

April's Object of the Month is a striking pair of sapphire and diamond ear clips, by Lucien Girard for Lacloche Frères, circa 1935. These elegant jewels of cornucopia design exemplify the disciplined symmetry and exceptional craftsmanship that defined the great Parisian ateliers of the 1930s.

Located alongside Cartier and other leading houses of Place Vendôme in the 1920s, Lacloche Frères stood at the forefront of early 20th-century jewellery design during the dazzling post-war Art Deco period. Founded in 1892 by Belgian brothers Léopold and Jules Lacloche, the firm rose from modest beginnings to build an international clientele spanning royalty, aristocracy, and film stars, with boutiques in Paris, London, Madrid and around the Riviera.

Strongly influenced by Eastern aesthetics, particularly Chinese and Japanese art, the house created exquisitely crafted cigarette cases, nécessaires, and vanity pieces that resonated with a newly emancipated and style-conscious clientele. Their work earned critical acclaim, including a Grand Prix at the 1925 Paris Exposition for a collection inspired by the fables of La Fontaine.

What set Lacloche Frères apart was its sophisticated model of collaboration. Rather than using in-house designers, Lacloche worked with a network of independent fabricants; highly skilled craftsmen responsible for executing designs to exacting standards, allowing the house to curate and present jewels of remarkable refinement and quality.

Lucien Girard was one such artisan. Active from the early 1920s on the rue du Temple, Girard operated as an independent workshop craftsman, contributing to the technical excellence associated with French Art Deco jewellery during a period during where Paris stood at the forefront of innovation. Though less widely documented today, signed pieces such as these, stand as testament to the extraordinary skill of the workshops behind the great maisons.

"It is increasingly rare to encounter such a wearable and fine, signed pair of earrings from the 1930s. They beautifully capture the bold geometry of the late Art Deco era, softened by a graceful scroll motif that gently embraces the earlobe, lending both elegance and fluidity when worn." Marielle Whiting, Associate Director and Jewellery Specialist.

A closely comparable pair appears in a Lacloche advertisement published in The Tatler on 9 December 1936. These exceptional signed earrings, Lot 497, will appear in the Fine Jewellery sale on 22^nd - 23^rd April carrying a pre-sale estimate of £20,000-£30,000 (before buyer’s premium).