Three Centuries of High Jewelry Courtesy of Pennisi
MILAN — Reflecting her passion for highly creative and distinctive antique jewelry, Miuccia Prada has taken pen to paper to write the preface for the “Pennisi Collection” tome by Alba Cappellieri and edited by Skira.
The designer — who hasn’t shied away from occasionally wearing a tiara — pays tribute to an antique jewelry store in Milan that is unique and close to her heart as a longtime customer of some of the stunning pieces retrieved by the Pennisi family.
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“Pennisi has become a veritable benchmark for jewelry lovers all over the world. This success is the natural and well-deserved acknowledgment of the work the family has been doing in 50 years, always guided and inspired by sobriety, culture, competence and, above all, passion,” writes Prada. “I really like antique jewels, I’ve always liked them. I have been visiting the elegant Via Manzoni shop for years. There, I found jewels I’m very fond of. I’m fascinated by the way these objects preciously hold, and somehow communicate, not only the history and the flavor of an era, but also the history of those who have worn them.”
The book marks Pennisi’s 50th anniversary — a milestone also celebrated with a one-day exhibition in Milan on Tuesday at Palazzo Serbelloni, directed by accessories designer Paula Cademartori, also a longtime customer of the store, which is a sort of institution in the city.
The shop counts as regular visitors several fashion designers, ranging from Giorgio Armani and Donatella Versace to Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, as well as aristocrats — the Savoia family, for example — and high-profile celebrities, from Nicole Kidman and Naomi Campbell to Kate Moss.
Antique jewelry may be handed down through the centuries, but it continues to be appealing to even the most modern and current artists and celebrities, from Rihanna — seen in a photo in the book wearing an Art Deco bracelet in platinum and diamonds — or A$AP Rocky, with a 19th century necklace in gold, silver, diamonds and enamel, to Madonna sporting Art Deco earrings in platinum and diamonds on the “Madame X” album cover.
Founder Giovanni Pennisi realized the value and beauty of antique jewelry and began to collect rare gemstones that today speak volumes about extraordinary craftsmanship — one that is at risk of being forever lost — and the stories behind these items. While trading in diamonds, Pennisi’s collection grew over the years and his passion was passed on to his children, Guido and Paola, and grandchildren, Gabriele and Emanuele.
The store in Milan’s Via Manzoni, next door to the Grand Hotel et De Milan, stands still in time, without any major changes to the interiors, antique Chinese rugs and vases adding a special atmosphere to the vitrines, which sparkle with magnificent works of art.
“We buy between 200 and 300 jewels per year, through private sales or auction houses, so we keep our customers interested and coming back,” said Guido Pennisi. And they do, as during the interview in the shop he greeted several notable and constant customers.
The Pennisi Collection has not only an extremely high aesthetic and creative value — as well as a material one — but also an educational role, a sort of history crash course. The collection spans three centuries of high jewelry, from 1750 to 1950, from 18th century Versailles to Paris in the Belle Époque.
The three chapters of the book are each dedicated to the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, starting with the political, economic and sociological context framing the style trends of the jewels — Marie Antoinette was obsessed with diamond aigrettes, for example. The Pennisi Collection is truly one-of-a-kind and includes, to name a few, papal insignias and rings; a 19th century tiara in gold, silver and diamonds that can be converted into a necklace; a yellow gold bracelet with a cameo with the likeness of Napoleon supported by the imperial eagle and surmounted by the red enamel crown; a bracelet with the monogram of Queen Victoria in gold, silver, diamonds, enamels and rubies from the 19th century; a 1928 Buccellati bracelet created for Gabriele d’Annunzio; a Cartier Tutti Frutti brooch from around 1925 in platinum, diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds, or a Van Cleef & Arpels box, circa 1930-1940 in gold, platinum, diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds depicting tiny performers playing the piano or the trumpet.
Patience helped the Pennisi family secure some of the most exclusive jewels. “I chased a pair of earrings for 15 years, trying to convince the owners to sell them to me. It took that long, but I did it,” Guido Pennisi said with a knowing smile. “Sometimes, it’s hard to separate ourselves from some special jewels and, years after, I managed to buy them back.”
The store opened in 1971, but Pennisi is not counting the pandemic’s two-year stall when the shop was closed.
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