Recently we were flipping through a Neiman Marcus catalog and came across this recreation of a Raymond C. Yard “Rabbit Waiter” pin for $98,000! The New York jeweler was known for his elegant Art Deco diamond and colored stone jewelry including his rabbit pins. The rabbits mimic human activities like sailing, fishing, and serving martinis. He made similar rabbit pins with different combinations of jewels.

The pin shown here is a recent copy of Yard’s Rabbit Waiter, made by another company. He is wearing a diamond, ruby, and sapphire tuxedo, and holding a black enamel tray with half-moon-shaped diamond glasses. A diamond ice bucket with champagne is in his left hand, held slightly behind him. Yard’s original Rabbit Waiter pin was designed about 1930, oddly enough during Prohibition in the United States. We saw it on display in a recent museum exhibit. The 1930s rabbit is wearing a diamond studded tux with a ruby boutonniere. His shoes and bow tie are black onyx. He, too, is carrying a bucket with champagne in his left hand, but it’s held slightly in front of him.

Every Rabbit Waiter designed by Raymond Yard is unique. He would make subtle changes to the colors of the clothing, tray or the contents of the bucket. An authentic Yard pin has a maker’s mark, “Yard for Raymond C. Yard,” along with a number. Original Raymond Yard rabbit pins are prized by collectors and command high prices if found. We wonder what one would cost since Nieman Marcus reports that their $98,000 repro pin is sold out.

 

This platinum and gold BUNNY BUTLER BROOCH with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires is a contemporary re-creation of the “Rabbit Waiter” pins made by Raymond C. Yard. Price: $98,000.