Sotheby’s New York Sale of Magnificent Jewels To be held on December 9, 2008 This December Sotheby’s will hold its annual Jewelry Week in New York including
the sale of Magnificent Jewels on December 9, 2008
Brooch, David
Webb, 1940s, lot 317, est. $40/50,000
Carved Coral, Colored Stone and Diamond
Elephant Bangle, David Webb,
lot 305, est. $15/20,000
Period and Signed Jewels
As is the hallmark of all Sotheby’s New York sales of Magnificent Jewels,
the December auction features wonderful examples of signed and period
jewels from Private Collections. Of particular interest to connoisseurs of
natural pearls will be the rare and extremely lustrous Natural Pearl and
Diamond Pendant, circa 1910, offered by a Noble Family (lot 432, est.
$300/400,000).
Designed as the mythical phoenix bird rising from the ashes, the
Diamond and Ruby “Phoenix” Brooch, Schlumberger, France, 1953
(lot 380, est. $60/80,000),
offered by the Menil Collection, Houston, Texas, has been exhibited in
the Schlumberger retrospective exhibition held at the Musée des Arts
Décoratifs, Palais du Louvre, Paris.
One antique piece sure to garner significant interest is the Gold and
Diamond Serpent Necklace, mid-19th century (lot 424, est.
$150/200,000), the Property of a Distinguished Private Collector,
which is designed as a life-size articulated serpent decorated all over with
diamond details.
A special highlight of the many signed pieces in the December sale of
Magnificent Jewels is an 18 Karat Gold, Diamond and Ruby
Necklace/Clip Combination, Rene Boivin, circa 1960 (lot 425,
$150 /200,000). This wonderful multi-purpose jewel comprised of
three large quatrefoil gold links set with collet-set diamonds and small
rubies, offered by an important private collector, was formerly from
the Estate of Babe Paley, a woman whose iconic 20th century style
remains legendary to this day.
Natural Pearl and Diamond Pendant, circa
1910, lot 432, est. $300/400,000
18 Karat Gold, Diamond and Ruby
Necklace/Clip Combination, Rene Boivin,
circa 1960, lot 425, est. $150/200,000
Gold and Diamond Serpent Necklace,
mid-19th century, lot 424, est. $150/200,000
Highlights from the December sale of Magnificent Jewels will be on public view at Sotheby’s Geneva 15-18
November and Sotheby’s London 20-24 November. The exhibition in New York is open 4-9 December.
The public lecture series topics this December 6-7 include David Webb’s modern American jewels, the
wearable sculpture of Alexander Calder and famous jewelry collections sold at Sotheby’s.
*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium.
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