Paul Brandt

Paul Brandt was on of the key modern jewellers of the 1920s. He worked with the most famous jewellers of his time, including Fouquet and Sandoz. He was born in Chau-Fonds, in Switzerland, in 1883, moving to Paris when he was young. He studied jewellery, painting, sculpture, carving, enamelling, medal making and stone engraving, with Chaplain and Allard. Finally choosing to specialise in jewellery design he set up his own business, eventually registering his maker's mark on 22nd October, 1912, with his premises at 23 rue Victor-Chevreuil. He first adopted the Art Nouveau style, later moving to the Art Deco style, taking part in the International Exhibition of Decorative Art, in 1925. He considered his jewellery as works works of art in their own right. His final jewellery exhibition was in 1936. From the 1930s he extended his activity to interior design, then to industrial pursuits. He opened a tin factory in rue de Tlemcen, which helped with the war effort. He died in Paris, in 1952.