Designed by Van Cleef & Arpels in 1939, this "Sailor with the Accordion" brooch is composed of 18K gold, ruby, coral and diamonds, and made in the workshops of Péry et Fils. The singing sailor with ruby nose and diamond eyes and wearing bell-bottomed trousers accompanies himself on a diamond-edged accordion while seated on a neat coil of braided rope. One of a small number of amusing figures of the 1930s and 1940s that include ballerinas and musicians, this rare brooch expresses both the firm's gentle humor and its dedication to the arts.
