Sotheby’s Spring Sale of Magnificent Jewels Distinguished by Superb Color and Provenance Sale is Highlighted by The Collection of Patricia Kluge Single-Owner Auction of Always In Style: 150 Years of Artistic Jewels
chronicles two centuries of jewelry design
News-Antique.com - Mar 29,2010 - On 20 April 2010 Sotheby’s will offer three sessions of jewelry comprising a single-owner sale Always in Style: 150 Years of Artistic Jewels and Magnificent Jewels. The day begins with a comprehensive survey of period and signed jewels dating from the 19th century to modern day, and representative of the main design themes of the last two centuries. Following, the Magnificent Jewels sale features important diamond and colored stone jewels, many from distinguished private collections, including those of Patricia Kluge, Ann Getty and the estate of Nancy M. Daly, as well as jewels formerly in the collections of Marlene Dietrich and Isabella Stewart Gardner.
Sotheby’s is privileged to present magnificent jewels from the collection of Patricia Kluge as a major highlight of the April sale. As in any great jewelry collection, at the core are her white diamonds including the impressive Pair of Platinum and Diamond Pendant-Earclips, set with almost 64 carats of pear-shaped diamonds (est. $600/800,000). Fancy intense yellow diamonds along with suites of sapphires and of rubies are also featured in the glamorous Kluge jewels. A Sapphire and Diamond Panthère Wristwatch, Cartier, French, circa 1985, (est. $100/150,000) speaks to Mrs. Kluge’s sophisticated appreciation of workmanship and her refined taste. These jewels preview a unique joint sale offering of Albemarle House, the residence of Patricia Kluge, listed and offered currently by Sotheby’s International Realty. The interior contents will be offered in a Sotheby’s house sale to take place on the grounds of the Charlottesville, Virginia estate on 8 and 9 June. An additional selection of Patricia Kluge’s decorative jewels will be offered in June at Albemarle House.
The sale offers superb examples of the natural colors found in nature, from warm yellow and red, to cool green and blue. A Magnificent Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond Necklace (est. $2/3 million), property from a private collection, features 42 GIA certified fancy vivid yellow diamonds weighing a total of 100.17 carats set in a graduated riviere style necklace. This spectacular jewel is believed to be the first necklace set entirely with fancy vivid yellow diamonds ever to appear at auction.
A row of fourteen beautifully matched Colombian emeralds, weighing approximately 39.60 carats, is skillfully set in the art deco design Emerald and Diamond Bracelet, Tiffany & Co., circa 1925, also from a private collection, and once in the collection of Annie-Laurie Aitken (est. $350/550,000). A collection of seven un-mounted Kashmir sapphires from a private collector are well matched and may inspire the creation of another magnificent jewel. Offered as three pairs of cushion-shaped stones and one square-emerald cut stone, the Collection of Kashmir Sapphires weigh from 4.29 to 8.73 carats (total est. $1.1/1.5 million).
The Ruby and Diamond Ring, set with a cushion-shaped Burmese ruby of 8.66 carats, is one of the finest ‘pigeon blood red’ rubies to be offered on the market (est. $1/1.5 million). This historical stone is the property of the Gardner Family and was formerly in the collection of Isabella Stewart Gardner – the philanthropist and visionary patron
