Bejewelled by Tiffany: 1837–1987

Published in conjunction with an exhibition of the same title at the Gilbert Collection in London, this is an all-inclusive account of the house of Tiffany & Co. Essays by curators and jewelry historians look in detail at the house's rich history, especially its innovative role in jewelry design. Tiffany designs, say the contributors, reflect their times and have in turn influenced them, for instance, providing escapist images of glamour and wealth for struggling women during the Depression. The history of Tiffany's is as exciting as its jewels: in 1887, its agent in Paris dominated the auction of the French crown jewels, accounting for over a third of sales. Tiffany helped to define 20th-century glamour in the '20s, and then aided in redefining it after WWII. In the '70s, Elsa Peretti made Tiffany's fresh for and available to a wider public with sculptural shapes in gold and silver, and her famous "Diamonds by the Yard." The quality and breadth of the catalogue's images are only surpassed by the detailed captions, and it is all presented so flawlessly that one needn't be named Holly Golightly to appreciate it. (Sept.)