My Solid Gold French House

[Smith1940]

This is a brooch that was given to me six months ago by a Frenchwoman, 81, who has lived in the States for 43 years. She is an old friend of my husband's family. She has no children, so on that weekend visit, as we were leaving she gave me this brooch. In her youth, she was a model for Chanel and Balenciaga. This led to attendance at some rather upscale parties. She told me that at one soirée given by a wealthy couple in Paris, all the women received these gold brooches to take home. It's a model of the couple's country home. It's solid 18k gold, hallmarked. The house was called La Hunière, and that name is inscribed in script on the bottom of the brooch. I have tried to capture it here.

I Googled "La Huniere" and found a country house in France called La Hunière that looks like this brooch...at least, the brooch looks like a simpler rendering of this house. The proportions look right and the chimney's in the right place. I'll be seeing our French friend next month as her husband, 91, sadly passed away recently. I will show her the house in the link below, and see if she knows whether this is the Brooch House...

http://www.gite-normand.fr/tourismo/gite/lahuniere/

 

[Smith1940]

Back view, plus view of inscription "La Huniere", and shoulder views!

 

[Smith1940]

I've got a couple of much better shoulder shots but the system keeps telling me they are "invalid" so I can't upload them.

 

[Smith1940]

Managed to re-size this - hope it comes out OK.

 

[Smith1940]

And one more...

 

[Enerchi]

AWESOME! What a unique item - and love the story behind it! Attending a party and getting jewellry as you go? Wow - just like a loot bag at kids birthday parties!!!

That is very unique - quite like that!!

 

[luv2sparkle]

How cool is that! Love it!

 

[Smith1940]

Thank you so much everyone!

Enerchi - yeah, some party bag, eh? I have never been to a party where they hand out solid gold going-home presents!

 

[Enerchi]

Thank you so much everyone!

Enerchi - yeah, some party bag, eh? I have never been to a party where they hand out solid gold going-home presents!

I think we need to find new friends!

 

[Smith1940]

Thank you so much everyone!

Enerchi - yeah, some party bag, eh? I have never been to a party where they hand out solid gold going-home presents!

I think we need to find new friends!

Oh yes, so do I! Perhaps if I wear all my bling at once I will be able to ingratiate myself with the moneyed nobles!

Do you know who I reckon has a fabulous jewellery box, given all her money? Jennifer Aniston. I wish she was my friend. I love her.

 

[KristyDarling]

What a cool story behind that brooch! It's a lovely piece.

A model for Chanel/Balenciaga -- I bet she has many amazing stories to tell, sounds like she's had quite a life!

 

[Smith1940]

Thanks! Yes, she is very interesting - actually, when she came to the States she then lived the duller life of a professor's wife, and spent the next 43 years living on the campus - and she still lives there! Her husband having just passed away, I'm interested to see what she does next - if she goes back to France. She has a very heavy French accent even after all these years, and she typifies a Frenchwoman - she is thin, elegant, and stylish, even at 81, and she is an amazing cook, using lots of goose fat, cream etc. - quite an old-fashioned way of cooking these days but exactly what Julia Child talks about in her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking. This lady, although she cooks in that manner and drinks red wine every day, never got fat or drunk - how stylishly French is that! Anyway, the nicest thing about her is that she is very warm and down-to-earth. She is this chic, elegant Frenchwoman but she's not cold - she's really lovely. I still can't believe she gave me this brooch!

 

[Winks_Elf]

How lucky to be friends with someone like that...the stories she could tell you! That's they type of person I would love to spend an evening chatting with, learning about their life. I can only imagine the stories she could regale you with of soirees she attended as a young woman in society.

Half a century ago and more, it was stylish to give gifts such as this to your guests, even at a dinner party that was not celebrating a milestone like a birthday or major anniversary.

 

[Amber St. Clare]

Wow--why can't I get invited to parties like that????

 

[Smith1940]

How lucky to be friends with someone like that...the stories she could tell you! That's they type of person I would love to spend an evening chatting with, learning about their life. I can only imagine the stories she could regale you with of soirees she attended as a young woman in society.

Half a century ago and more, it was stylish to give gifts such as this to your guests, even at a dinner party that was not celebrating a milestone like a birthday or major anniversary.

Really? That is so interesting. I didn't know that! What a pity that tradition has died out!

 

[Smith1940]

Wow--why can't I get invited to parties like that????

I know!!

 

[Amys Bling]

Very nice!!

 

[PrincessCath]

What a lovely trinket! There are several places in France by that name, but it does look like the one you linked to:

http://www.gite-normand.fr/tourismo/gite/lahuniere/

 

[pregcurious]

Very nice brooch and interesting story. Thanks for sharing.