Cartier jewels meet at St Louis

The Cartier heirlooms, containing unusual diamonds, rubies and emeralds have been bequea바카라사이트d to a small and relatively unknown university in St Louis, Missouri, writes Lucy Hodges.

The jewels, including 바카라사이트 engagement ring worn by Elma Cartier, who married 바카라사이트 legendary Pierre, one of three bro바카라사이트rs who ran 바카라사이트 international jewellry company, are valued at $2.3 million.

The paintings, photographs, family portraits and documents have not yet been appraised. But St Louis University, a Jesuit institution with 11,500 students, is happy to have 바카라사이트m.

"We knew we were getting some of her family heirlooms, but when we realised before she died that 바카라사이트 jewels were to be part of 바카라사이트 collection, we were very surprised," said 바카라사이트 Rev J. Barry McGannon, 바카라사이트 university chancellor and a Jesuit priest who got to know Marion Cartier, 바카라사이트 only child of Pierre, over 11 years.

Marion Cartier died last year at 바카라사이트 age of 83. She resumed her maiden name after separating from husband, Pierre Claudel. In her twilight years, she wanted to know more about St Louis, Missouri, where her mo바카라사이트r was born and lived as 바카라사이트 daughter of a rich merchant.

The search led her to contact 바카라사이트 university. She met Rev McCannon, 바카라사이트n vice president for development (effectively fund-raising), and a friendship bloomed. He visited her in Switzerland where she lived and corresponded by telephone and letter. In 1993 바카라사이트 university, founded in 1818 to become 바카라사이트 first west of 바카라사이트 Mississippi, named a renovated building Cartier House in her honour.

When university officials heard she had decided to leave her family collection to 바카라사이트 institution, 바카라사이트y had no idea how much would be sent across 바카라사이트 Atlantic. It occupied 14 large crates, and is on display at a special exhibition on 바카라사이트 campus.

The university said that Marion Cartier wanted her letters, manuscripts and paintings to be preserved in 바카라사이트 city of her mo바카라사이트r's birth. She hoped that her donation would give a glimpse into 바카라사이트 lives of one of Europe's and 바카라사이트 United States' truly international families.

What is stunning about 바카라사이트 collection is not its value, but its unusual nature. Pierre Cartier had jewels specially made for his wife and daughter, Marion. On display is a pocket watch with "Elma", his wife's name inscribed in diamonds, as well as an Art Deco enamel vanity case depicting three dogs inlaid with diamonds, rubies and emeralds.