Book Review: Wartski: The First Hundred and Fifty Years
Family-owned businesses are the backbone of the gem and jewelry industry. This is true for both small-scale companies and internationally known brands. One British-based family firm founded in the nineteenth century is the focus of Wartski: The First Hundred and Fifty Years, a commemoration of the company’s landmark anniversary. Since 1865, Wartski has specialized in Russian royal court art, fine jewelry, and silversmithing, building a world-class clientele (including the British royal family and numerous celebrities) along the way. Built on the efforts and dedication of the four generations from two families and its passionate employees, Wartski is still very active in the fine jewelry trade.
Author Geoffrey Munn has worked for Wartski for over 40 years, since the age of 19. Today, he is the company’s managing director and official historian, a certified antiques expert, a BBC television show presenter, and a successful writer, as well as a renowned expert on Faberge metalwork and jewelry. A great storyteller, Munn brilliantly connects the most spectacular artworks with the human story of this unique business on each page of this book. While readers will be immediately attracted by the exquisite photos and illustrations (particularly of the fine metalwork, jewelry, and celebrity patrons), Munn emphasizes at the start that this is a book to elaborate on the history of the business rather than the amazing artworks it collected and sold.
The preface and the first two chapters are riveting, digging deep into the origins, growth, and all the challenges and successes of Wartski. The story of how founder Morris Wartski, the great-grandfather of the current business owner, had a life changing opportunity and opened the family’s first ever business in Bangor, North Wales reads like a movie script. Through hard work, integrity, expertise, and outstanding salesmanship, they successfully conquered all the difficulties met in the past century and half. Present jewelry businesses may have different challenges to face, but how this firm survived some of the critical periods in history might shed light on today’s practices. For instance, during the 1950s auction houses such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s stepped into the jewelry business, and Wartski felt the pressure of their presence. By sticking to their specialties like the Russian Fabergé eggs, jewelry and other art pieces, Wartski further strengthened its expertise on special collections and not only survived , but thrived.
Wartski first gained attention from the British royal family due to their spectacular collection of Russian royal court jewels and artwork, especially those made by Carl Fabergé, including the 13 famous imperial Fabergé eggs. The second generation of Wartski jewelers were among the first to purchase these treasures from aristocrats after the Russian Revolution and from the Soviet government when it needed money to facilitate the new country. These painstaking purchases built a solid base for this brand, and attracted the British royal family members, whom Wartski has served as jewelers ever since. Today, Wartski has a royal appointment as jeweler to both Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales.
The following chapters elaborate upon the diligent work done by the family to collect the world’s finest jewelry and metalwork (such as the Egyptian crown jewels) and the clients who visited and supported Wartski over the years, including former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, author Ian Fleming, and the current Duke and Duchess of Cambridge The important clients of Wartski will attract a lot of readers even they are not in the industry. The enthusiasm of collecting and the future of the business are also explored. All content was extremely well illustrated with eye-catching photos of well-known jewelry and precious metalwork, along with images of pieces never seen before.
Though Munn has chosen to focus on the company’s history, one intriguing story involving a specific piece focuses on the lost imperial Fabergé Easter egg. Named “Nécessaire,” the egg was commissioned by Alexander III of Russia in 1889. It was set with diamonds, ruby cabochons, emeralds, a large colored diamond, and a sapphire cabochon, and the interior showed a little box mounted with 13 diamonds. The last showing of this piece occurred at Wartski in June of 1952. An anonymous buyer purchased it from the store; since then, the whereabouts of this treasure are lost. Munn’s exploration of Nécessaire’s whereabouts, based on a black and white photo taken during its last show at Wartski, will be fascinating to many readers.
What distinguishes this book from most others is the depth of the knowledge and the insights Munn delivered to the readers. His fantastic storytelling skill adds charm to this book and made it an enjoyable experience for jewelry professional and enthusiasts alike. Readers get to know behind-the-scene stories and appreciate the diligent work jewelers and collectors do before they present these breathtaking pieces of art to the public.
Overall, Wartski: The First Hundred and Fifty Years is fascinating in many different ways; it is well worth reading and will be a great addition to any jewelry book collection.
