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An 18 kt gold and enamel giraffe with plique a jour sunglasses by Birks (est. $700 to $900 Cdn.)

Dupuis Auctioneers

Whimsical animal jewelry goes up for auction

A pair of birds having a heated debate. A singing and dancing duck looking you straight in the eye. And a giraffe with attitude who appears prepped for the paparazzi.

These are among the whimsical creatures which hit the auction block on November 22 in Toronto.

The Jewels Sale by Dupuis Fine Jewellery Auctioneers had something for everyone - from Cartier classics to a rare rock crystal and diamond bracelet by Aletto Brothers in Boca Raton. But among the most eye catching was a grouping of whimsical animal pins.

Whoever owned the pieces definitely had a sense of humour, in addition to a taste for exquisite craftsmanship.

A playful tiger cub with emerald eyes, coral tongue and diamond highlights is by Van Cleef & Arpels (est. $1,000 to $1,200 Cdn). A somewhat confused owl has cabochon sapphire eyes and an adjustable tilting head, and is Cartier circa 1963. The giraffe, in 18 kt gold with black enamel patches and plique a jour enamel sunglasses, was made by Birks. The two latter pieces are estimated to sell for $700 to $900 Cdn.

"Animal jewelry began in a big way in the '70s when most of these pieces were made and it is still popular today," comments auctioneer Ron Dupuis.

"What makes these pieces exceptional is that they were done with a lot of imagination. They are very expressive in the way they are depicted. And that can only be done by a good jeweler. The birds, for instance, are interacting with each other and they each have a distinct personality. It makes the pieces that much more interesting."