Jean Després
Born in Avallon, France in 1889 before he traveled to Paris as an apprentice at the age of 14. By the time World War I broke out he was forced to join the Air Force as a mechanic where he later began designing aircraft engines. In 1920 he returned to Avallon and four years later he began to take over his family jewelry business. He crafted pieces for average citizens in France for sometime. Then 1930 he was represented in an exhibition in the Louvre. He decided to exhibit for the collection of masculine designs in the form of gears, crankshafts or other engine parts. The works were not popular and did not sell well. Though he caught the eye of Raymond Templier who exhibited his silver work in the Paris Autumn Salon in 1943. This helped catapult his career. The business slowly grew and in 1962 he elected to show his pieces in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London at the International Exhibition of Modern Jewelry. Desprès continued his career by attempting to surprise his clientele with unusual jewelry handmaking each and every single piece himself without any assistance or help. He retired in 1977 and passed away in 1980.
