Marcel Boucher part two
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Marcel Boucher |
During World War II, when base metals were restricted for
war use, Boucher moved the company to Mexico in order to exploit the country's
silver supplies. After the war was over, the Mexican operation was sold and
Boucher moved back to New York City.
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Marcel Boucher |
In 1949, Boucher's business partner, Arthur Halberstadt
decided to leave the company. Consequently Boucher invited French designer
Sandra Semensohn to become his design assistant. Scmensohn left to work for
Tiffany & Co. from 1958 to 1961, before returning to Boucher. Later she
became his second wife.
The company's work under Boucher and Semensohn in the 1950s
followed the more sober trend for elegant, classic-looking pieces resembling
fine jewelry. Boucher's standard—both for materials and design—remained high,
so these items are also valuable.
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Marcel Boucher |
Key pieces from this period include buckle motifs;
leaf-forms decorated with rhinestones, especially in parurcs; and animal pins.
Boucher also designed some plain gilt pieces that are likely to become highly
collectible.
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Marcel Boucher |
His work with cabochon pastes during the 1950s and 1960s is
especially fine: he used unusual lozenge-shaped pastes that suggested uncut
precious stones, and set them in exquisite metalwork alongside myriad small,
faceted rhinestones to create fabulously intricate pieces.
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Marcel Boucher |
Early pieces were marked "MB"—topped with a
Phrygian cap, the symbol of the French Revolution from 1944 onward. This mark
can be hard for the untrained eye to identify, as it was very small, so if in
doubt contact a reputable dealer.
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Marcel Boucher |
A lesser-quality line was marked
"Marboux." Later pieces were signed "Marcel Boucher" or
"Boucher," with the copyright symbol.
Additionally, almost all pieces
produced from cl945 onwards were marked with a style-inventory number, which
can help
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Marcel Boucher |
with dating, although consideration should also be given to later
production runs.
When Boucher died in 1965, Scmensohn took over the company,
maintaining the quality of the work. In 1972, Boucher et Cie was sold to Dovorn
Industries, an American watch manufactory. In 1976 Boucher et Cie. was sold
again to the Canadian company D'Orlan, which was run by Maurice Braddcn, who
had trained under Boucher himself. Until 2006, when the company closed its
doors, D'Orlan produced replicas of Marcel Boucher's designs using his original
molds.
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