Massin
Oscar Massin was born in Liège, Belgium in 1829. When he turned twelve years old he decided to apprentice with Charles Reintjens a local jeweler. He worked with Reintjens for nine years and in 1851 he left for Paris to seek work and found a bench position with Théodore Fester. Massin worked during the day and sketched designs in the evenings which he sold to other firms. After three years he left Fester for Rouvenat and left a year later to work for Viette in early 1855 who was commissioned to make a piece for the queen. After a year Massin made his way to London and spent a year and a half working with Boeck. Then he headed back to Paris to work for Tottis, finally becoming a partner in 1861. In 1863 Massin decided to set up his own workshop on the Rue des Moulins and was doing commissions for other jewelers mostly at the time. In March 1864 he created a spectacular demi-parure for Lemonnier who had been commissioned from the Royal Court of Spain getting his name further into the history books. At the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867 he exhibited under his own name for the first time. By 1869 his workshop was so busy that he moved on the Avenue de l’Opéra. During this time he created multiple tiaras winning prizes at multiple exhibitions. Massin retired in 1892 and passed away three years later.
