Tiffany & Co. and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris (MAD) have launched a four-year partnership covering the conservation, research and digitisation of more than 10,000 pieces from the Jean Schlumberger collection. L'ensemble includes 5,000 drawings along with an equivalent number of documents, photographs and personal papers.
This collection was entrusted to the MAD in 1994. Born in Alsace into a family of textile manufacturers, Jean Schlumberger (1907-1987) joined Tiffany in 1956, under the presidency of Walter Hoving. The Maison, which came under the LVMH umbrella in 2021, owes some of its most iconic pieces to him, starting with the Bird on a Rock.
A collection weakened by time
The archives have deteriorated over the years: tracing paper has yellowed and become brittle, while old adhesives have darkened and damaged the paper. The programme aims to preserve this heritage and make it more accessible to the public. The partnership is also meant to make the collection easier for researchers and enthusiasts to consult.
According to Journal du Luxe, the MAD is located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, where Jean Schlumberger lived and worked. In the archives, Tiffany also found the drawing of a Sixteen Stone solitaire designed by the designer but never produced, and since put into production. The Maison had already showcased pieces from its archives last year by signing the jewellery for the film Frankenstein.
A presentation bringing together three collections
To mark this initiative, Tiffany organised a private presentation in Paris bringing together the collections of the MAD, its own archives and those of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA). The latter holds around 160 pieces of Schlumberger jewellery and 30 objects that belonged to his longtime patrons, Paul and Bunny Mellon, who had notably launched "Operation Objects", an annual commission spread over a decade giving him carte blanche for decorative works.
Anthony Ledru, president and chief executive officer of Tiffany, said that « ce partenariat reflète notre volonté de préserver et d'approfondir la compréhension de l'héritage créatif extraordinaire de Jean Schlumberger ». He added that the Maison's ambition « n'est pas simplement de préserver l'héritage de Schlumberger, mais de le faire vivre », so that it continues to be studied, celebrated and inspires future generations.
Clara Roca, a curator at the MAD specialising in drawings, wallpapers and photographs, described the archives as « documents de travail » illustrating every stage of the creative process. She highlighted the connection between the designer and the craftspeople who brought his ideas to life, explaining that he had « sa vision, la mettait sur papier et faisait confiance à d'autres pour la concrétiser ».
The partnership between Tiffany and the MAD is now set to unfold over four years of conservation and research work, ahead of a wider opening of the collection to researchers and the public.
