28 - STRAUSS, ALLARD & MEYER for GERMAINE GUERIN, 1920s–1930s

STRAUSS, ALLARD & MEYER for GERMAINE GUERIN, 1920s–1930s A flap clutch made of Persian-inspired woven silk in shades of green, pink, and blue, featuring motifs of exotic birds and gazelles among flowers and foliage. Featuring a clasp, the 750‰ yellow gold frame is embellished with a pivoting element of cut and re-drilled coral, adorned with a stylized leaf motif accented with black enamel. Fastens with a gold-plated metal snap on the opposite side of the flap. Cream-colored silk lining with two compartments and a coin pocket. Signed “GERMAINE GUERIN 243.RUE ST HONORE PARIS.” Made in France; diamond-shaped hallmark of the STRAUSS, ALLARD & MEYER workshop. Dimensions: 16 x 19.5 cm. Gross weight: 153.7 g. (Slight wear and pulled silk threads; a few tears in the lining). Germaine GUERIN opened her leather goods boutique in Paris in 1921, at 243 Rue Saint-Honoré. During the Art Deco period, her house took center stage, specializing in the manufacture of handbags, clutches, and accessories. In 1925, she successfully participated in the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts. Her luxury leather goods, produced in the 1920s and 1930s, were crafted from the finest materials, with their frames and clasps adorned with precious stones and metals. Maison Guérin’s collaboration with the Strauss, Allard & Meyer workshop underscores the meticulous attention paid to the decorative details and techniques employed. Indeed, this workshop, which specialized in objets d’art, was a key player during the Art Deco period due to the quality and refinement of its creations, having worked for numerous houses on Rue de la Paix and Place Vendôme, such as Boucheron, Cartier, Janesich, Lacloche Frères, and Van Cleef & Arpels. After its heyday in the 1960s, Maison Guérin has, since 2025, experienced a revival and a resurgence in its business.