The jewellery presented in this collection mainly belonged to (William) Somerset and Syrie Maugham’s daughter, Liza, and granddaughter, Camilla. Born in Rome, Mary Elizabeth Maugham was the daughter of Syrie and Somerset Maugham. Her parents married in 1917, separated in 1925 and divorced four years later. She was known throughout her life as Liza, named after Maugham’s first novel, Liza of Lambeth. Liza married, firstly, Lt.-Col Vincent Paravicini in 1937, but the couple divorced in 1948 and she married, secondly, Lt.-Col. John Adrian Hope, 1st Baron Glendevon the same year. She had two children by her first husband and two by her second.

Syrie and Willie Maugham’s highly successful careers meant that Liza grew up surrounded by their distinguished, influential and artistic friends. They moved in glamorous circles and were surrounded by those who were considered to be the glitterati of the day – figures such as the playwright Noël Coward, the photographer Cecil Beaton and the stage designer Oliver Messel. Messel was still a student at the Slade when he met Syrie Maugham, and he remained a close friend of Liza’s throughout her life - designing the cake for her wedding to Vincent.

Syrie and Liza maintained a very close relationship throughout Syrie’s life. Liza died on 27 December 1998 aged 83 at Hopetoun, Lothian, Scotland.

Camilla is the daughter of Liza Maugham and Vincent Paravincini. She married, firstly, Manuel Basil Mavroleo (known as Bluey) of the Greek shipping family, with whom she had two daughters, Syrie and Sacha, and secondly Count Frederic Chandon de Briailles, heir to the Moet et Chandon champagne house.

Both Liza and Camilla’s taste in jewellery was influenced by the aesthetic of Syrie Maugham and her glamourous circle – in particular the Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, who introduced the family to Jean Schlumberger, as he began his career creating buttons for Schiaparelli in the 1930s and was later commissioned to design costume jewellery for her firm. Syrie was a great supporter of Jean Schlumberger’s career and some of the Schlumberger pieces in this collection are likely to have been given to Liza by her great friend Bunny Mellon.

“[Syrie] had a spectacular eye for the painters and artisans who were her contemporaries. The work of the talent that she enlisted is impressive, from the rugs of Marion Dorn to the painting of Rex Whistler and Glyn Philpot to the designs of Oliver Messel and Cecil Beaton to the Jewellery of Jean Schlumberger; all of these artists were her friends."

~ Camilla Chandon

Jean Schlumberger | Lots 52-57

The collection includes a fantastic selection of pieces by renowned French jewellery designer Jean Schlumberger (1907-1987) who is celebrated for his imaginative, nature-inspired creations. Born in Mulhouse, France, he began his artistic career designing buttons for couturier Elsa Schiaparelli in the 1930s before moving into jewellery design. After World War II, Schlumberger joined Tiffany & Co. in New York in 1956, where he became one of the most celebrated designers in the company’s history.

His jewels were famous for their whimsical, sculptural forms - often inspired by flora, fauna, and sea life - and for his use of vibrant enamels and bold colour combinations. Among his admirers and clients were Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, and Audrey Hepburn.

Schlumberger’s designs, such as the iconic “Bird on a Rock” brooch featuring the Tiffany Diamond, remain symbols of creativity and craftsmanship. He retired in the late 1970s but continued to influence generations of designers.

Among the pieces in the collection is a cultured pearl and diamond bracelet, which has been designed with two-rows of cultured pearls with rows of brilliant cut diamonds spaced between and finished with a cultured pearl border. Other highlights include two 1950s diamond set brooches, one stylised in a foliate design, the other as a fruit, the leaves of which are pavé-set with brilliant cut diamonds.

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Auction Details

Wednesday 19 November 2025, 10.30am GMT
Dreweatts, Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE, UK

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  • Tuesday 11 November: 10am-4pm
  • Wednesday 12 November: 10am-4pm
• Viewing in Newbury
  Dreweatts, Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE, UK
  • Sunday 16 November: 10am-3pm
  • Monday 17 November: 10am-4pm
  • Tuesday 18 November: 10am-4pm

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