Lovebirds cage (Circa 1935)

This precious and rare object was created in 1935. Part of Van Cleef & Arpels Collection, it is made of glass, black enamel, and beige agate. The cage houses two sculpted lovebirds in green beryl with cabochon ruby eyes, perched on a gold and walnut swing. They are swinging above a central wading pool ornamented with two coral branches. On either side of the cage, a half moon-shaped feeder compartment provides access to glass feeding dishes.

This feat of jewelry and craftsmanship ̶ and the story behind it ̶ is captivating, because it symbolizes a legend connected with the Maharajas. In 1935, an unnamed Indian Maharaja commissioned Van Cleef & Arpels to create "The Maison d’Hortense" (Hortense's house), a small home for his frog to be made entirely from precious materials. It notably featured a golden ladder that the frog could go up and down, apparently indicating changes in the weather. A few years later, the house was transformed into this cage to house the two green lovebirds that you can see inside it.