Famous Jewelry Collectors

A study of the great jewellery collectors of the twentieth century, covering the relationships between individual collectors and the major houses that served them. The collector profiles include several of the most significant Cartier clients: the Duchess of Windsor, Barbara Hutton, Daisy Fellowes, and the Indian maharajas among them.

Papi, a jewellery historian who worked with several major auction houses, brings specialist knowledge of provenance and the secondary market. The book treats jewellery collecting as a cultural practice rather than purely as a history of objects, placing each collector's acquisitions in the context of their social position and personal taste.

Cited in the Sotheby's 2010 lot description for the Flamingo Brooch, with specific pages on the Duchess of Windsor's collection.