AN ELEGANT ART DECO NATURAL PEARL AND DIAMOND BANDEAU, BY CARTIER
The openwork old European-cut diamond tapering band, of geometric design, centering upon a pearl, measuring approximately 13.10 mm, enhanced by two pear-shaped diamonds, mounted in platinum, circa 1924 Signed Cartier, no. 2419203
With report from the Gemological Institute of America stating that the pearl is natural
The total weight of the natural pearl is approximately 12.77 carats

Provenance Nanaline or James B. Duke; Cartier, 1 March 1924, $23,000 by descent to Doris Duke

::::The bandeau is entered on a checkerboard motif of stepped outline, set with an oriental pearl and surmounted by two pear-shaped diamonds. Similar motifs are on each side graduated toward the back, alternating with gemetric-pattern vertical elements. This striking design, which belonged to the
Towards the turn of the last century, new styles of tiaras developed and increased in popularity. At the same time, a newly wealthy class of industrialists were becoming America's aristocracy and began to entertain with the same extravagance of European royalty.  
The charity ball and numerous private parties were new forms of socializing that gave stylish women an opportunity to wear tiaras outside of the traditional Court functions.
The laurel wreath, acanthus and garland motifs were traditional types of tiaras, however, contemporary jewelers invented new styles to rejuvenate headpieces and jewelry.

This tiara was purchased by either Nanaline or James B. Duke in 1924 and is an excellent example of the early Art Deco tiara. Designed to sit low on the forehead, rather than on the top of the head, this was the perfect look for the cropped boy's hairstyle favored at the time. The bandeau, with a geometric all-white diamond and platinum design, would have complimented perfectly the long sautoirs and straight and narrow silhouette.

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Doris Duke was the Wealthiest Woman in the US for a while
Doris Duke's parents purchased the Newport, RI mansion called "Rough Point" from the Rockefellers in early 1900s. The mansion has 40,000 square feet of floor space and 50 rooms. Doris lived there, and in New Jersey, all her life. She even kept a pair of camels on the patio in Newport in a specially built tent, and one of her "girls" (camel) is still alive! She loved interesting and unusual jewelry,see the pictures of her jewels on the follow pages 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 /

Doris Duke seems to have preferred colored stones, whereas her mother specilized in diamonds. Amazing pink topaz and diamond necklace set. Doris was a platinum blonde and wore pastels well. She was 5'10" tall and spoke in a soft high breathy voice (remember Jackie) perhaps it was an affectation among the wealthy. Doris played pretty swinging jazz piano and loved to jam with the musicians who appeared in the Newport Jazz Festival. Now that's my idea of Heaven: a mansion on the ocean, gorgeous jewels, a slender figure, and jazz jams through the night!

In 1935, at the age of 22, Doris married James Cromwell, the handsome, dilettante son of Eva Cromwell Stotesbury. Their honeymoon, which took them around the world, awakened Doris Duke’s interest in other cultures and began her adoration of Hawaii, where she constructed her estate Shangri La from 1936 to 1938. In the same manner that Duke Farms was very much her father’s creation, Shangri La was Doris’ architectural statement. Doris Duke made her personal vision of paradise real at Shangri La ..........

Higlights of her jewel-collection:

TOPAZ AND DIAMOND "FLOWER TWIST" NECKLACE, BY FULCO DI VERDURA
PAIR OF TOPAZ AND DIAMOND "FLOWER TWIST" EAR PENDANTS, BY FULCO DI VERDURA
TOPAZ AND DIAMOND "FLOWER TWIST" NECKLACE, BY FULCO DI VERDURA

EXQUISITE ART DECO DIAMOND AND ENAMEL EVENING BAG, BY CARTIER
DIAMOND HAIR SLIDES, BY CARTIER
MAGNIFICENT BELLE EPOQUE DIAMOND AND PEARL PENDANT NECKLACE, BY CARTIER
SPECTACULAR INDIAN DIAMOND NECKLACE
MAGNIFICENT ART DECO DIAMOND BRACELET, BY CARTIER
ELEGANT DIAMOND CLIP BROOCH, BY DAVID WEBB
EXQUISITE DIAMOND RING, BY TIFFANY & CO
IMPORTANT PAIR OF ART DECO DIAMOND BRACELETS, BY CARTIER
ELEGANT SAPPHIRE, DIAMOND AND SEED PEARL BRACELET, BY CARTIER
A PAIR OF DIAMOND AND CULTURED PEARL EAR PENDANTS, BY DAVID WEBB
AN ART DECO PEARL AND DIAMOND BRACELET, BY CARTIER
MAGNIFICENT TWO-STRAND EMERALD NECKLACE
AN ART DECO EMERALD, PEARL AND DIAMOND CLIP BROOCH, BY CARTIER
AN EXQUISITE ART DECO EMERALD AND DIAMOND BRACELET, BY CARTIER
A PAIR OF DIAMOND AND EMERALD EAR PENDANTS, BY DAVID WEBB
A MAGNIFICENT SINGLE-STRAND EMERALD NECKLACE
A SPECTACULAR RUBY AND CULTURED PEARL NECKLACE, BY DAVID WEBB
VERDURA BROOCH
RETRO DIAMOND AND GOLD FEATHER BROOCH, BY FULCO DI VERDURA
DIAMOND, TURQUOISE, FRESHWATER PEARL AND GOLD INDIAN HEAD BROOCH,
BY FULCO DI VERDURA
RETRO SAPPHIRE, DIAMOND AND GOLD CUFF BRACELET, BY CARTIER
MULTI-STRAND SEED PEARL NECKLACE
A PAIR OF RUBY AND DIAMOND PENDANTS, BY DAVID WEBB

Source:Christie's