OAKLAND, CA.- Clars Auction Gallery will offer a rare exquisite group of four pieces of Salvador Dali jewelry for sale in their important December 9, 2012 fine estate jewelry auction in Oakland, California.

Between the years of 1941 and 1970, Salvador Dali, best known for his surrealistic paintings, created designs for 39 pieces of intricately crafted fine jewelry. Before producing his own jewelry designs, Dali had first designed jewelry for Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel, spurring his own interest in the medium. One of Dali’s first individual works of jewelry created was a pair of “telephone” earrings, meant to represent the futility of Neville Chamberlain’s telephone conversations with Adolph Hitler in an attempt to avoid war.

Dali first commissioned Carlos Alemany of Alemany and Ertman, an Argentinean jeweler with a studio in New York City’s St. Regis Hotel to transform his 2-dimensional designs into 3-dimensional fantasy jewelry. Working closely with the jeweler, Dali even chose the specific stones that were to be set into the individual pieces. When Alemany passed away in 1993, Dali called on another friend, Henryk Kaston, to continue creating these special art jewels. Henryk Kaston had created a brooch for Metropolitan Opera star Rise Stevens to mark her role as “Carmen”. When Dali saw this brooch, he requested Henryk Kaston to continue the production of his jewelry designs. Kaston was formerly by trade a master violin bow maker and violinist at the Metropolitan Opera orchestra, who crafted violin bows for such musical luminaries as Jasha Heifetz and Isaac Stern.

Of these jewels, Salvador Dali wrote “Without an audience, without the presence of spectators, these jewels would not achieve the function for which they were created. The viewer is thus the final artist. His look, heart and mind with greater or lesser ability to understand the creator’s intention, imbue the jewels with life”. The gorgeous jewels offered in our December sale were fabricated by Henryk Kaston and include some of the most famous pieces from Dali’s jewel catalog.

Ruby lips with cultured pearl teeth brooch, (PHOTO 1) modeled after Marilyn Monroe’s lips and a signature of Dali’s jewelry collection; he was reportedly obsessed with the late actress. Only 8 to 10 of these brooches were ever produced. Clars will be offering this brooch for $10,000 to $15,000. Of this brooch, Dali speculated “Poets of the ages, of all lands, write of ruby lips and teeth like pearls. It remained for Dali to translate this poetic cliché’ into a true surrealistic object.”

The Pomegranate Heart brooch of gold, rubies and diamonds. Dali wrote “The many-celled reddish pomegranate berry pulses with life. The slightly acidic flavor of the fruit is agreeable – as acidity stimulates human accomplishment.” This piece will be offered for $8,000 to $12,000.

The Honeycomb Heart brooch of gold, rubies and diamonds, and of which Dali reflected, “There’s a little bit of sweetness in the heart of every woman.” (Estimate: $4,000 to $6,000)

Tristan and Isolde brooch (PHOTO 1) of gold, diamonds and garnet is reflective of Dali’s favorite opera and title by the artist “Filtre d’amour”. Mused Dali, “The heads are juxtaposed to form a goblet, which, in turn suggests the effluence of love possible between man and woman”. This brooch will be coming to the sale with a presale estimate of $4,000 to $6,000.

Furthering the rare and exquisite jewelry offerings will be a gold chain necklace from which hang fourteen (14) different enameled or otherwise decorated Faberge egg charms. (PHOTO 2) (This offering will also include three (3) additional Faberge egg charms.) This Faberge work of art is being offered for $12,000 to $16,000.