Les Bijoux des Français

The Badine cross is the most emblematic jewel of the Languedoc Roussillon region.   The suspension ring is hidden behind the cross as is a hinge which articulates the lower part of the cross.  The Badine cross is made in pink gold, often quite tarnished, and set with rose-cut garnets which are generally set above red tinted foil in order to give more colour and brilliance to the garnets.  For this reason, the cross should never be immersed in water, as the foil will be discoloured.  The word badine is an old French word which means "to move gently" and refers to the way the cross is articulated allowing the lower part to move freely.

 

 

Narbonne cross in gold

 

 

 

                 
Narbonne traditional costume and cross    

 

 

 

 "Collier d'esclavage" (slave necklace) in gold and enamel with its matching ear pendants
These necklaces were worn in many regions, this one is illustrated here solely because it was found in the region and because it's so lovely
 

 

 

 

detail  of "collier d'esclavage" (slave necklace) in gold and enamel

 

Cicada brooch signed by Guiraud, gold.  The cicada is the symbol of the Felibrige association
 

 

 

"poissarde" ear pendants in enamelled gold, collected in Nîmes

 

 

 

collection of jewels belonging to a family in Languedoc Roussillon

 

 

                  
 gold badine cross from the Tarn with its enamelled slide

 

 

The badine cross of Tarn or Castres cross is composed of four half-spherical and faceted elements from which is suspended by a ring a fifth similar element but in the shape of a pear. The fact that this element can move, or badine, is what gives this cross its name. There are two pear-shaped elements attached to the intersection of the arms on the top of the cross and two similar pendants attached by rings on the bottom of the cross. According to Michel Yvon, these crosses "were sold at the fair of Beaucaire and in Avignon."

 

 

gold badine cross from the Tarn with its slide

 

 

 

 

gold badine cross from the Tarn

 

 

 

         
 gold and enamelled badine cross from the Tarn

 

The chatelaine

 

The most distinctive piece of jewellery in the Poitou - Charentes region is the silver chatelaine which women wore on their skirts.  Chatelaines are known as claviers (lou clavié) in Provence, chatelaines in Alsace and crochets in Poitou-Charentes and the Pays de la Loire. Some authors thought they had identified chatelaines set with rhinestones in Normandy however these are in fact, at least originally before transformation, busquières (see section Normandy). Chatelaines are formed of a length of metal more or less decorated and often engraved and pierced, then bent back on itself with a spatula-shaped segment to hang on the inside of the skirt. They are generally used to suspend a pair of scissors on two chains, sometimes a key and, according to Lionel Bonnemère, a punch used to kill poultry was suspended in Poitou.

There are differences in the shapes of the chatelaines according to the regions. In the south, there is a special type which has at the top a door-knocker shaped ring which opens with a silver screw. This ring was used to hang keys, leaving the chains free for a pair of scissors. There are also chatelaines in the south where the simple chains are split by a separator with a design matching that of the hook. Niort was an important centre of manufacture of chatelaines in the 19th century and there are chatelaines from Niort to be found throughout the southern half of France, most of which were manufactured between 1815 and 1880.

 

         
Silver belt clip or chatelaine with hallmark from Nîmes

 

 

        Silvrt
Silver belt clip with design of a hand holding a laurel wreath

 

 

        
large clavier entirely hand-engraved
note the extra loop on the back part used to securely attach it to the skirt with a few stitches

 

 

 

Two silver belt-clips or chatelaines from the Nîmes area, one decorated with two burning hearts on an altar, pierced by an arrow, the other with a basket of flowers

 

 

 

 

      
clavier in silver

 

 

         
clavier in silver

 

 

 

 

 

clavier in silver

 

 

clavier in silver

 

 

 

                         
two claviers in silver

 

 

 

    

clavier in silver

 

 

Cévenole heart pendant in silver filigree with three trissous drops

 

 

Contact me with your suggestions, corrections, photos, questions and comments!