Spectacular: Gems and Jewelry from the Merriweather Post Collection

by Liana Paredes

The Merriweather Post collection offers an enthralling glimpse into one of the most remarkable, and intact, collections of jewelry ever amassed. Spectacular immerses the reader in jewelry history and design, weaving in seminal moments in Post’s life as one of the most passionate and confident collectors of jewelry of the twentieth century. There are exquisite pieces by Van Cleef and Arpels; numerous examples by Cartier; contemporary commissions from Harry Winston, George Headley, David Webb, and Fulco di Verdura, and historical pieces such as the Marie Louise Diadem, and the legendary earrings worn by Marie Antoinette on the eve of the French Revolution. Spectacular provides a critical perspective on developments in changing jewelry styles in America and Europe through one woman’s unique collection. Fascinating essays highlight special details of the gems and jewels, as well as their sometimes scandalous history. Full of fabulous images and interesting facts this new volume will appeal to anybody who wants to know the story behind some of the most amazing jewels ever created. Liana Paredes is director of Collections & chief curator at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens.
Martin D. Fuller is the founder and president of Martin Fuller Appraisals, LLC.
Michael Hall is the curator of ceramics of the Capelain Collection in Jersey, Channel Islands.
Jennifer Levy is a curatorial assistant at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens.
Jeffrey Post is the curator of the U.S. National Gem and Mineral Collection, and chairman of the Department of Mineral Sciences, Smithsonian Institution.
Dr. Wilfried Zeisler is the Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens’ curator of Russian and 19th-century Art.

Genres: Nonfiction

200 pages, Hardcover

Published June 6, 2017

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. Marjorie Merriweather-Post's collection of jewels is frequently mentioned in books on jewellery and fashion history, in part because of the lovely examples she bequeathed to public collections. This is the first book to try and bring the now separated pieces together in a single overview.

The jewellery she collected was top-of-the-range and all of museum quality. In addition to fashionable new pieces ranging from the 1920s-1960s she also purchased historic pieces and had an eye for the quality of the stones used not and not just the fashionable settings they were put into.

If you like reading about historic jewellery or looking at gemstone bling then this is the book for you and it gives a good overview on how tastes changed in gemstones and setting from the 20s-60s. Possibly the main thing missing is any sort of catalogue listing of the 200+ jewels with a simple description of each that were originally in the collection. This sort of information is useful for people doing research in future years and this would have been a fantastic place to include such useful information.

[Patricia Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this photo book about jewelry and the lady who collected and designed some of it. have visited Hillwood Estate and saw the winter exhibit of some of her important pieces. would like to have had at least one piece of it in my collection. wish they would have put the tiara with moveable stones in the book, but to see it in person was wonderful. cannot imagine how much money she invested in all her jewelry purchases.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book if you are interested in jewelry. I didn't know anything about MMP, but I was happy to find out that her estate turned museum is close enough for me to visit and see some of these in person. Amazed at how much she donated to the Smithsonian and also encouraged others in her social circles to do the same.

[Bryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures of truly stunnng jewelry, with interesting text around it about the life and times of the woman who collected it all. I did not read every word, but oh, those photographs! If I am ever writing a fantasy story in which jewelry features prominently I will want this book to imagine on.

[JJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular coffee table book, beautiful pictures.

[Lyn Sweetapple · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely gorgeous book filled with beautiful jewelry that are pieces of art in their own right. There was much research on how Post collected and wore the jewelry. Pieces in private collections that cannot be viewed were perfectly photographed and added to the many pieces available for public viewing at the Hillwood Estate or the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.