Lot 197: Vintage Carven Swallow Brooch

A vintage Carven swallow brooch captured in full flight. Deeply textured gold-tone wings frame a glossy oxblood-red body, black tail feathers, a pearl-effect cabochon and a small row of clear stones at the neck. The contrast of surfaces gives the bird a vivid sense of movement—compact, graphic and slightly eccentric.

Dimensions: approximately 5 × 4.8 cm (1.97 × 1.89 in).

Condition: Good vintage condition with age-related wear and some enamel loss in places, which does not detract from the overall appearance of the piece. Please examine all photos and the video carefully, as they form part of the description.

From the house founded by Marie-Louise Carven, who began designing for petite women like herself and became known for bringing a lighter, more youthful spirit to postwar French couture.


One of Madame Carven’s first great successes was Ma Griffe, a green-and-white striped summer dress from her debut 1945 collection. Its name means “My Signature,” and the fresh green-and-white stripes soon became a visual code for the house. A fragrance of the same name followed—and, in a wonderfully theatrical publicity gesture, hundreds of sample vials were released over Paris on tiny green-and-white parachutes.


From Vogue Archive (December 1961)

Item ref: 0016-C