What's in a Name: Marchak

Although these days it’s considered to be French, the House of Marchak was founded in Kiev in 1878. In its turn of the century heyday, it was known as “the Cartier of Kiev”. The Russian Revolution caused the Marchak descendents to flee to Paris, where in 1920, Alexandre Marchak opened his boutique on the famous Rue de la Paix, the epicenter of the luxury industry. Embracing the Art Deco movement of the time, Marchak became famous for its unique, superbly crafted pieces that had an unmistakable ‘Russian touch’. However, the more iconic Marchak creations are associated with their work from the late 1940’s through the 1960’s, with renowned designer Alexander Diringer heading up the workshop.

Led by Diringer’s bold compositions, Marchak produced high quality design work equal to that of the larger design houses. One such beauty is this nature-themed pin circa 1950’s. It stands only an inch and a half in height, but with its vibrant color and sentimental theme, this piece makes a grand statement. Two robin’s egg blue turquoise hearts are nestled closely in the beautifully hand crafted nest of 18k gold wire. The highly detailed branch that supports the nest is accented with diamonds and enhanced with carved ruby flowers. The use of vibrant color was very important in the whimsical pieces from the 1950’s and stones like turquoise were chosen for their bright hues rather than their intrinsic value.

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