Louis Rousselet (1892-1980) was born in Paris and apprenticed at a young age to learn to manufacture lamp-work beads. In 1922 in Menilmontant, a Paris suburb, he began manufacturing glass and Galalith beads as well as faux pearls in. The pearls were created from glass beads coated with essence d’Orient, a fish-scale compound. All of his beads were hand-wound and polished. Workers had to train for six or seven years to learn his techniques. By 1925, Rousselet employed 800 workers and shipped his beads all over the world. Production of pearls ceased in the late 1960s. Glass beads were manufactured until 1975, when the last trained worker retired.
Rousselet also designed sautoirs, necklaces, pendants and other jewelry, using glass beads in a wide range of colors and styles. His pieces were worn by Josephine Baker and other stars of the Folies Bergères, Casino de Paris and Moulin Rouge, as well as clients of couturiers such as Chanel, Jacques Fath, Pierre Balmain and Robert Piquet. Rousselet’s daughter Denise designed many of the firm’s collections from 1943 until she took over as designer in 1965.
Most of Rousselet’s pieces were signed only on a paper tag. Jewellery with the “L.R.”mark is rare
A rare unsigned Rousselet puzzle necklace. 17 inch. Amber glass round graduated beads with small glass bead spacers and brass ornate rondelles incorporated with four of Rousselet's famous hand crafted puzzle beads in amber bakelite and marble galalith. Strung on fine brass chain with brass barrel clasp marked
'Made in France' Weight:58g
You can see variations of this necklace on page sixty four of Ginger Moro's book European Designer Jewellery.
A magnificent addition to any collector of
French Art Deco Jewellery
contact : mooshylala@gmail.com
