1920’s Louis Rousselet French Art Deco Poured Glass & Faux Pearl Necklace

Description

A COLLECTOR’S DREAM! An Exquisite Example of Rousselet’s Craftsmanship & Design Genius.
1920’s Louis Rousselet French Art Deco Graduated Cobalt Blue POURED GLASS BEAD with Rondelle Faux PEARL Spacer Bead (See Below For Details) NECKLACE.
Strung on flexible braided copper wire, the necklace measures 17-1/2" long. The largest central bead is more than 3/4" in diameter (2 cm). The smallest spherical beads are 1/4" (7 mm).
A French barrel clasp holds it all together.
In EXCELLENT condition! An absolute treasure of Fashion Jewelry History that will only climb in value.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
WE AM Finding a Louis Rousselet jewelry piece is a rather rare and thus very special occasion. The renown jewelry maker was born in Paris in 1892. At the age of only eight, Louis Rousselet already apprenticed with M. Rousseau, mastering his technique of lamp-work beads. Thirty years later, in 1922, Louis opened up a workshop in Menilmontant -- a neighbourhood of Paris -- and started hand-making glass and galalith beads.
Louis quickly became recognized for his glass beads, often given baroque shapes to accentuate their individuality, and imitation pearls. He made the pearls out of glass by coating the glass with essence d’Orient, or namely, a fish scale compound. Consequently, his firm became a major source of handmade beads for the world. Louis Rousselet became known as one of the most outstanding beadmakers of the twentieth century.
Louis Rousselet workshop employed nearly 800 workers over the years, and each worker reportedly trained for six to seven years. His brand produced beads and jewelry designs that have adorned singers, models, and actresses for the past 100 years. Louis designed jewelry for Music Hall stars Josephine Baker and Mistinguette.
The imitation pearls were coated with a fish scale substance to give a pearly sheen and luster. The glass beads were also, similarly to the technique used in Venice, worked directly over a fire on a brass rod. When the form of the bead began to take shape, it was dissolved in acid, ridding it of holes. The shape could then be completed, and a single bead would be created.
Remarkably, all Rousselet beads were hand-wound and hand-polished. A wide variety of colors and styles were employed, and these iridescent, foiled, or lamp-wound multi colored swirls were produced using the same tried and true techniques for fifty years.
The craftsmanship of Parisian jewelry makers guarantees the perfect composition. The beads, rhinestones and pearls that were used in the jewelry of a goldtone and silvertone metal base, were prong set and wired together. Each Louis Rousselet jewelry piece you find is genuinely unique and can instantly beautify any outfit.
(DSF Antique Jewelry)