Paulette’s Charms
With a title like that … there are many directions in which I
could take this thing. I’ll stick–however–to the road least
fraught with hazard … and keep this Tidbits issue directed toward
jewelry. Ah … were I but in another line of work …
Circa 1920’s and 1930’s. The giving and receiving of charms were
becoming the rage. The dawning of charm bracelets into the public’s
awareness had begun … as all thing always begin … in Hollywood.
Paulette Goddard was instrumental in creating an insatiable need
within the beating breasts of American womanhood for jewelry. She
was a major holder of gold and diamond and platinum doo-dads … far
surpassing many of her contemporaries in acquisitions. Married at
one time to Chaplin … she was truly one of the great wearers and
collectors of jewelry. She received from her husband … among other
things … a charm in the form of the Little Tramp. She received two
little drummer boy charms from George Gershwin. She had three pet
Scotty charms. She had in fact … charms up the kazoo. She had
charms in the form of letters spelling out the word “Peter” … her
nickname.
Aside from her dubious fame as one who had lost the role of Scarlett
to Vivien Leigh … Paulette Goddard was legendary for her love of
jewelry. She had been married to some famous men … Charlie
Chaplin … Burgess Meredith … Edgar James (Timber Magnate) and
Erich Maria Remarque–author of “All Quiet on the Western Front.”
Once … when wearing a fifty diamond necklace … she was asked how
she had acquired the diamonds. She replied: “I got it by getting
engaged so often. I never give anything back.”
But she was innovative in her treatment of the gifts she had
received over the years from her admirers. At one point she gathered
all her charms … quite a few as you will all soon see … and she
mounted them on a gold and platinum bangle centering on a star
sapphire. Quite striking folks … not so much for beauty … but
for creativeness of presentation. The clustered effect speaks only
of the monumental amount of jewels she had received. She was indeed
a popular lass.
For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits…may I
direct you to my home page at www.tyler-adam.com where you will
scroll down the left side menu till you get to the area that says
Tidbits Graphics … and then click on the link that says: Charms
… where you will see a graphic of Paulette Goddard’s gold and
platinum bangle presentation.
And there ya have it. That’s it for this week folks. Catch you all
next week. Benjamin Mark
TYLER-ADAM CORP.–Jewelry Manufacturers
Tel – 1-800-20-TYLER
E-Mail: webmaster@tyler-adam.com