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Bon Voyage – Off to Paris and beyond
The Enchanted world of VALÉRIE Dawlat Dumoulin after HERMÈS
Since I wrote a short biography about Valérie Dawlat Dumoulin in my post in May of 2018, I have had the distinct pleasure to make her acquaintance!
As a longtime fan, you can only imagine my delight and how honored I felt having received an email from her! And with that a wonderful relationship began.
In her own words …
« When I discovered Carrés de Paris on the Internet, I was so surprised and delighted to read the chapter on my work as a carré artist, that I decided to come in contact with the founder of this lovely and well documented website.
That is how our relationship came to life, with a mutual understanding and taste for the same HERMÈS vintage carrés.
Unfortunately, at the dramatic departure of Jean-Louis Dumas, Hermès emblematic and charismatic CEO, my ten years collaboration was soon over.
I explain to Carrés de Paris, that I was still creating but in a different way : I am, since almost two years, inventing and manufacturing custom jewellery and Carrés de Paris loved them so much that a decision was taken to give them exposure on their website.
I proposed to associate visually my vintage carrés designs that are for sale at Carrés de Paris to one of my jewels, and voilà, « just like that », that is how it is all started, how exciting !!! »
Valérie Dawlat Dumoulin
Here is an introduction to the enchanted world of Madame Valérie … enjoy
AVAILABLE
AVAILABLE
Always an artist, Valérie has created numerous collages and paintings, but more recently discovered a new passion in creating custom jewelry. At first she salvaged and repurposed all of her own jewelry, and as popularity of her one-of-a-kind jewelry grew in her native France, she began to search for unique vintage bits and pieces at flea markets and thrift shops. Self-taught and with an exquisite eye for both beauty and design, she as with her Hermès scarf designs drew her inspiration from flowers, insects, eternal symbols like hearts and crosses, the sea and marine life. She skillfully combines unexpected items with copper wire and magically gives new life to butterflies, flowers and dragonflies!
Merci Mme Valérie de continuer à enrichir notre monde avec de nouvelles créations et une beauté époustouflante.
Ladi
Hommage a l’Explorateur Sir Ernest Shackleton
Here for now are some photos of the one and only Hommage a l’Explorateur Sir Ernest Shackleton by Zoe Pauwels, a Special Edition/Issue scarf from 2005.
More about this truly special and considered by many a GRAIL Hermès carré a little later. But in the meantime here are some photos for your enjoyment…
Grotte de Versailles HERMES Carre
Grotte de Versailles, the Cave of Versailles, is a splendid carre designed by Maurice Tranchant, which was first issued in 1969.
If you love Versailles, chartreuse, white and black, then you will most definitely fall in love with this amazing carre just like I did.
As the name suggests, Tranchant takes his inspiration from the Grotte de Téthys at Versailles.
By Rennett Stowe from USA (Grotto of Thetis at Versailles) [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
And I believe the Chevaux du Soleil sculpture in particular.
The most famous sculpture at the center of the Grotte de Téthys, is the one of Apollo being served by nymphs. To the right is the Chevaux du Soleil statue, Horses of the Sun, which I believe is at the center of Tranchant’s carre.
I invite you to “stroll” down the path of this splendid carre and you may be just surprised at what you will find…
Hermes Silk Scarf Grotte de Versailles – SOLD
In Europe now …
Searching the world over, well Europe for now, to bring you hand-selected vintage and pre-owned Hermès scarves and more …
The Brides de Gala – Opening Store promotional Gavroche
The machine hemmed 17″ or 43 cm square Brides de Gala, the iconic 1957 design by Hugo Grygkar, was a Special Issue and used by Hermes at various boutique and store openings as a promotional giveaway.
I am very pleased to have three out of the seven of the Special Issue mentioned in the Carres d’Art publication, which also mentions Carre de Paris as a trusted Hermes resource.
There are currently a total of seven of these Special Issue Brides de Galas documented and they include store openings in Montreal (1968+/-), Palm Beach @ 218 Worth Ave celebrating the opening there in 1977. At the famous Hardy Brothers Jewelers in Sidney in 1982, I Magnin in San Francisco in 1987, Bonwit Teller in Chicago 1990, Geneva, Switzerland in 2011 and Hawaii in 2016.
You can find all three featured in this article at my eBoutique Carre de Paris right now.
L’Arriere-Main Hermes carre
The lovely L’Arriere-Main Philippe Ledoux carré draws its inspiration from a painting by Théodore Géricault entitled Les Croupes, (The Hindquarters/Buttocks).
Most likely the studies for this painting found their inspiration at the Royal Stable, the Grande Écurie of Versailles, an impressive structure that could accommodate up to six hundred horses. Constructed during the 17th century under the watchful eye of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the Royal Stables have been home to the Equestrian Arts Academy (Académie du spectacle équestre) since 2003.
Les Croupes, which portrays twenty-four horses from behind is rather an unusual compositions as it features the hindquarters and not the heads of twenty-four horses in three neat rows. Surprisingly there is one defiant horse that stands out as it is turned around facing us, the audience. I cannot help but attribute lightness and humor to this rather unusual arrangement and composition.
Perhaps charmed by this as well was what inspired Philippe Ledoux to reproduce the Les Coupes as a drawing for his 1969, L’Arriere-Main, now highly sought-after design.
Surprisingly Monsieur Ledoux omits the rebellious horse in his drawing but includes the same checkered blankets that are very often found in Géricault’s other paintings. Perhaps it will remain a mystery why Ledoux left the defiant horse out, but included the horse blankets, which undoubtedly link his design to the French master’s. With this the L’Arriere-Main Hermès carré features three rows but only twenty-three hindquarters and not the twenty-four from its original Inspiration.
LE TIMBALIER HERMES SCARF BY MARIE-FRANCOISE HERON
I used to belong to the “rest … well” group. Even as a lover of macrame during me teen years, and as a lifelong crocheter and knitter, I just could not embrace this design.
Perhaps it was the lack of symmetry and repetition that somehow prevented me from appreciating this 1961 Marie-Françoise Héron design.
But looking at it through a different lens, the lens of possibilities, I can finally see and appreciate the beauty of Madame Héron’s timpanist.
The Le Timbalier Hermès carre is gorgeous whether in bold colors or this season’s soft pastels. The suggested textures add to its versatility and culminate in a fabulous scarf and accessory. One that lends itself to be draped and played with in so many creative ways, each time offering a new fresh look.
Well Hermès decided to re-issue it this season in various colorways and at $470 it has been flying off the shelves and is currently only available in selected boutiques and no longer online.
But do not despair! You can find a 1990s issue in pristine unworn condition at our eBoutique, Carre de Paris © .
Here is what Hermès© has to say about the Inspiration for this truly iconic Hermès Classic:
Until the end of the Second Empire, the role of the timpanist was to provide the drum beat for French cavalry regiments. The drummer in full dress featured in the center of this scarf, designed in 1961 by Marie-Françoise Héron, plays his instrument with panache. The royal coat of arms with two interlaced L’s seen on his drum evokes the 18th century. The horse, too, is exuberantly dressed. The ceremonial saddle and bridle, like the surround, are ornamented with sumptuous decorative trimmings: lanyards, braids, fringes and twisted cords, not forgetting cartisanes – wooden discs adorned with silver, gold or silk threads.
© Hermès 2022. All rights reserved
British Heraldry Hermes Carre by Rybal
The British Heraldry Hermes scarf was issued in 1981 making it one of four up to that time designs, that pay homage to the British Crown.
The first, Queen, was issued to honor the Queen’s first visit to France in 1961 and was re-issued in 1977 as a special issue for the Royal Jubilee, and renamed to Dieu et Mon Droit (God and my Right) Queen’s Silver Jubilee 1977.
Regina by Leila Menchari was conceived for Queen Elizabeth’s second visit in 1972.
The British Heraldry, however, is in honor of the Prince of Wales bearing his coat of arms against the backdrop of stunning Gothic architecture.
The British Heraldry was designed by Vladimir Rybaltchenko, AKA Rybal, and was first issued in 1981 and was according to Hermès, “intended to commemorate the Crown Prince’s marriage while calling on the continuity of history.”
Vladimir Rybaltchenko an accomplished artist, pictured here from the 1991 issue of Le Monde d’Hermès
Vladimir Rybaltchenko (1939 – 2002) was the great-nephew of Philippe Ledoux and father of Dimitri Rybaltchenko, all renowned Hermès artists.
La Cite Cavaliere Hermes carre
As with so many Hermès designs, La Cite Cavaliere carre by Marsal Octave from 2019/2020 immediately captured my imagination.
Perhaps it was the etching style of this whimsical map of Paris before me, that immediately took my mind back to the many fond memories I have of the City of Lights. While in New York visiting a dear friend, my daughter and I wandered around Chelsea, when I asked, “Want to see what’s new at Hermès”? As soon as we walked into the fashionable Chelsea boutique, we were drawn to the glass counter with its numerous folded carres below. Collectively, our eyes settled on the La Cite Cavaliere. For the Inspiration for this design, please visit my previous blog.
And as much as many of the colorways were difficult to resist, there was one, that undeniably stood out from the rest…
The reason for this post however, is not to write about this absolutely captivating design, but to bring attention to the FAKEs that have begun to infiltrate the market.
Please find below photos of one such FAKE and photos of an authentic Hermès La Cite Cavaliere in the stunning colorway of Green Clay and Steel Gray.
I hate to admit that this is a rather “well” made FAKE and one that at first sight can easily fool the best among us. It was one of my dear friends, a longtime Hermès collector herself, who in her haste and enthusiasm to have found her very own Green Clay colorway, mailed it to me. As soon as I held it, I noticed the feel of the silk as being lighter and somewhat “silkier” than I have learned to expect. This of course peaked my interests and curiosity immediately and I fetched my authentic La Cite Cavaliere.
Of course once one knows what to look for, the differences become rather “obvious”. Hopefully these side-by-side photos will help you navigate and discern what is the real deal. If not, I am always happy to provide Authentication Services for a nominal fee.
The Inspiration for the LE JARDIN DE LA MAHARANI
Leave it to Annie Faivre to create another wonderfully intricate and a perfect scarf for summer, her Le Jardin de la Maharani. Dedicated to a princess, this scarf will make anyone who wears it feel like one…
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