Auction Archives - Page 3 of 3

Elizabeth Taylor’s Sapphire Earrings Return to Auction

December 6, 2016December 9, 2016Michelle

Elizabeth Taylor Auction December 2011

I remember the day I went to see the Elizabeth Taylor Collection at Christie’s in New York. I made plans to see the collection on Friday December 9^th. I waited in line as the auction house had the sidewalk lined up with people waiting in the cold to see this famous collection and remember the woman who was their guardian. I had to make plans over a month in advance. I usually wait to buy a ticket to NYC the night before I decide to leave, however this was an auction I have never experienced before and probably never will again.

It was unique for several reasons one being the history behind each … Read the rest

Rubies: The Top 5 at Auction

July 6, 2016Michelle

What does the color red invoke in your mind? Does it bring up thoughts of passion, anger, evil, danger? For gemstones, rubies are considered, ‘the king of precious stones’. These stones are highly prized in cultures from the past and present. At auction these stones are also highly sought after. Jewels du Dour looked at the top rubies at auction for their July 2015 article. I want to update that and include some current rubies that have surpassed the cost per carat of the reigning champs. My table is below:

May of 2015 Sotheby’s topped the charts with the highest amount paid per carat at auction for their Sunrise Ruby Ring. An almost 26 carat ruby that brought in … Read the rest

Joan and her Jewelry

June 21, 2016Michelle

Joan Rivers style was best described by her daughter Melissa as a ‘maximalist, more is more’. My memories of Joan Rivers, the celebrity were her larger than life style choices, her choice words and her fashion! Joan was doing standup, working on Fashion Police, publishing books, winning on the Apprentice…the list can go on.

This is only the one side of Joan that she showed to the world. She had another as a mother and grandmother. So when she passed away about 2 years ago, her daughter, Melissa, took the time to go over the estate and share her memories of her mother through the collection shown at Christie’s Auction House in New York City. The auction of her more … Read the rest

Spotting David Webb Jewels at Christie’s June Auction

June 8, 2016June 8, 2016Michelle

This month wraps up the summer auctions for fine jewelry in New York and Boston. As I was looking through the auction catalogs I saw a necklace in the sale of Christie’s jewels that had me take a second look at the description and mark it as a must see when I came to the auction house this past weekend. It was a beautiful multi- colored sapphire necklace. Shown below:

What had me take a second look was the designer…

That’s right, David Webb. The same David Webb whose other jewels in the same auction look like this:

No date is given, so it might have been a special commission. Either way I wanted to get a look at the … Read the rest

Emeralds at Auction

May 29, 2016May 29, 2016Michelle

May is almost over and there are only a few more major auctions before summer is here. So before May ends I want to look at the emeralds that went on auction in the 2015-2016 season. Emeralds are the birthstone for May but they are also the stones for celebrating a 20th or 35th anniversary. The interesting meaning behind emeralds is that they are called the ‘Stone of Successful Love’. ‘Emerald promotes friendship, balance between partners, and is particularly known for providing domestic bliss, contentment and loyalty. It was dedicated in the ancient world to the goddess Venus for its ability to insure security in love’.(CrystalVaults)

I will look at 4 auction houses: Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Bonhams, and Skinner. … Read the rest

Shirley Temple Blue Diamond at Auction

April 19, 2016April 19, 2016Michelle

When seeing a movie besides the story and actors I pay attention to the jewelry shown. A favorite scene of mine is from the movie Bright Eyes starring Shirley Temple and James Dunn. (pictured below)

Close up of the ‘magic’ ring…

Dunn tells Shirley that this ring is a magic ring. If she ever needs him, she just needs to send the ring and he will come right back for her.

Well Shirley Temple had another ring that is up for auction this week. It is nothing less than spectacular it is an almost 10 carat deep blue diamond. As a fan of her work, I had to make the trip to New York to glimpse at this piece … Read the rest

Hearts on Auction

February 14, 2016February 14, 2016Michelle

In honor of Valentine’s Day I have put together a few heart shaped jewelry items that were on the auction block. I am looking at items sold by Skinner Auction House in Boston, Sotheby’s, and Christies. All of them are beautiful, a few have some interesting history and one has created a scandal that will put it back in the auction house once again!

Skinner Auction House:

An 18kt Gold, Ruby, and Diamond Pendant sold in 2015 at the Fine Jewelry Auction for $1,230.

An Antique 14kt Gold and Pink Tourmaline Necklace sold in 2015 at the Fine Jewelry Auction for $9,840.

Important Diamond sold in 2015 at the Fine Jewelry Auction for $3,947,000.

Note: I saw this … Read the rest

4 Auctions, 2 Days: My Journey to see a Duchess, a Southern Belle, a Clown and a Woman whose Style is Her Signature

December 22, 2015February 13, 2016Michelle

It’s no secret by now when I say that I love jewelry! One aspect of jewelry I really love is the history and craftsmanship that even the smallest piece can have. These qualities can be found in modern jewelry or vintage jewelry. Going into a store and appreciating the work and design is a pastime of mine. Unfortunately, a little guilt can come when going in too often and not buying. A great alternative for me is attending auction previews. I’ve been to several in New York and Boston over the years. This December was no exception. The auction houses that I attend were having their previews around the same time so I made a day trip to see three … Read the rest

Remembering the King of Rock and Roll: Highlights from the Graceland Auctions

August 23, 2015August 23, 2015Michelle

“I never felt poor. There was always shoes to wear and food to eat – yet I knew there were things my parents did without just to make sure I was clothed and fed “~Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley grew up in a modest home with few possessions’ but with his talent acquired wealth and fame that is still being sought after today. Recently it was the 38th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death. A death that is still hard for fans to accept. In remembrance, Graceland Auctions held an auction on August 13th, consisting of 174 lots of items that we either owned by Elvis or referenced a part of his career.

The sale with buyers’ premium included brought in close … Read the rest