The Star of Burma is an

cabochon A cabochon (; ) is a gemstone that has been shaped and polished, as opposed to faceted. The resulting form is usually a convex (rounded) obverse with a flat reverse. Cabochon was the default method of preparing gemstones before gemstone cuttin ...

-cut

star A star is a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by Self-gravitation, self-gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night sk ...

ruby Ruby is a pinkish-red-to-blood-red-colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum ( aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapph ...

. In 1935, the Burmese ruby was purchased by Howard Hoeffer of jeweler Trabert & Hoeffer- Mauboussin, whereupon it was used in several Hollywood films in the 1930s, including the musical comedy '' Vogues of 1938''. Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin sold the jewel on September 14, 2004.

Description

The 83-carat Star of Burma is a

-cut

with a pigeon-blood color. The color, common to Burmese rubies, is among the most coveted of ruby colors. The jewel's setting was never signed. An advertisement for the jeweler in the 1935 issue of '' Vogue'' depicted the ruby as mounted in a platinum pendant or

brooch A brooch (, ) is a decorative jewellery item designed to be attached to garments, often to fasten them together. It is usually made of metal, often silver or gold or some other material. Brooches are frequently decorated with enamel or with gem ...

, surrounded by diamonds, and described that "in all the world there is not another like it".

History

The ruby came from a mine in Burma, present-day

Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...

. At the time, Burmese rubies were considered the finest in the world. Trabert & Hoeffer had formed a working partnership with the French jeweler Mauboussin from 1935 to 1953; this partnership allowed Trabert & Hoeffer access to European jewels. Around this time, the Netherlands'

House of Orange-Nassau The House of Orange-Nassau (, ), also known as the House of Orange because of the prestige of the princely title of Orange, also referred to as the Fourth House of Orange in comparison with the other noble houses that held the Principality of Or ...

quietly sold numerous gems to jewelers including Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin, including the Star of Burma, to Howard Hoeffer of Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin in 1935. At a diamond fashion show and preview of the film '' Rhodes of Africa'' in 1936, Mary Lewis wore the Star of Burma set in a necklace's pendant, which also contained 6,000 diamonds and 150 rubies. The 1937 film ''Vogues of 1938'' showcased costumes using name brands, including clothes by Omar Kiam, designer furs by Jaeckel, shoes by I. Miller & Sons, handbags and hats by John Fredericks and Sally Victor, and jewels by Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin. The title sequence was of

Joan Bennett Joan Geraldine Bennett (February 27, 1910 – December 7, 1990) was an American stage, film, and television actress, one of three acting sisters from a show-business family. Beginning her career on the stage, Bennett appeared in more than 70 fil ...

's gloved hand wearing a diamond and platinum bracelet with the Star of Burma, pulling open curtains to reveal the opening credits. The gem was also worn in the 1937 film '' Hollywood Hotel'', and as a pendant from a ruby and diamond necklace by Tamara Geva in the 1937 film '' Manhattan Merry-Go-Round''. ''The Jewels of Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin'', published in 2014, describes that the jeweler's most valuable gems, including the Star of Burma, were lent and sometimes sold after Howard Hoeffer established stores in resort communities in the late 1930s. The jewel was sold at fine art and jewelry auctioneer

Doyle New York Doyle New York is an American auction house and appraiser of fine art, jewelry, furniture, decorations and other items. It offers auctions throughout the year at its premises on the Upper East Side of Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most den ...

, at a September 14, 2004 auction, where the jewel was the primary highlight of the event.

References

{{reflist, 30em, refs= {{cite news, last=Schiller, first=Phyllis, title=Reflections of Brilliance, publisher=Rapaport Magazine, url=http://www.diamonds.net/Magazine/Article.aspx?ArticleID=41242&RDRIssueID=96, date=October 2012, accessdate=October 9, 2016 {{cite book, last=Markowitz, first=Yvonne J., title=The Jewels of Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin, publisher=MFA Publications, Museum of Fine Arts, location=

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p51FngEACAAJ, date=2014, accessdate=October 9, 2016, isbn=978-0-87846-811-9, lccn=2013957243 {{cite book, last1=Proddow, first1=Penny, last2=Healy, first2=Debra, last3=Fasel, first3=Marion, title=Hollywood Jewels: Movies, Jewelry, Stars, publisher=Harry N. Abrams, Inc., page=87, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KF8RAQAAMAAJ, date=1996, accessdate=October 9, 2016, isbn=0-8109-8145-9, lccn=92007769 {{cite news, title=Precious Gems Shown at "Rhodes" Preview, newspaper=

New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates three online sites: NYPost. ...

, url=http://fultonhistory.com/highlighter/viewer/?file=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%252011%2FNew%2520York%2520Evening%2520Post%2FNew%2520York%2520NY%2520Evening%2520Post%25201936%2520Grayscale%2FNew%2520York%2520NY%2520Evening%2520Post%25201936%2520Grayscale%2520-%25201275.pdf&highlightsFile=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2Fhighlighter%2Fhits%2F14341858e5267f17672f4873ba6ddfc1#page=1, date=February 24, 1936, accessdate=October 9, 2016 {{cite news, title=Promenade of Gems, newspaper=New York Post, url=http://fultonhistory.com/highlighter/viewer/?file=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewspaper%252011%2FNew%2520York%2520Evening%2520Post%2FNew%2520York%2520NY%2520Evening%2520Post%25201936%2520Grayscale%2FNew%2520York%2520NY%2520Evening%2520Post%25201936%2520Grayscale%2520-%25201087.pdf&highlightsFile=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2Fhighlighter%2Fhits%2F4dfa3418a817a53d2ba836bca99d8cc0#page=1, date=February 25, 1936, accessdate=October 9, 2016 {{cite news, last=Bernstein, first=Beth, title=Passion and Desire: The Romance of Rubies, publisher=Worthy Living, url=https://www.worthy.com/blog/fashion-focus/antique-inspiration/passion-desire-romance-rubies/, date=January 14, 2016, accessdate=October 9, 2016 1930s fashion History of Hollywood, Los Angeles Individual rubies

Description

History

See also

References