Elizabeth Taylor’s gems

As the young people like to say … O.M.G.

Christie’s will hold an auction later in this year of the jewellery collection of the beautiful Elizabeth Taylor (could she be any more stunning I ask you?).

media; click on image for original source

There is a tour associated with the auction – so if you happen to be in Moscow, London, Los Angeles, Dubai, Geneva, Paris, Hong Kong and of course New York (where the auction will be held) it’d be worth checking it out.

Just to be sure you know – this is certainly not an advert for the auction! But I am stunned by the extravagance, extent and the quality of the jewels in her collection.

media; click on image for original source

I understand almost all of her jewels were given to her by her lovers … NO ONE does that any more!!! Well, at least not as publically or famously as in the height of the Hollywood era that Elizabeth reigned over.

Apparently many of the gems are historically significant … how wonderful to have $30m of such jewels! Oh I know they’re not “contemporary” by any stretch of the imagination … but we jewellers must acknowledge that our history has roots in such pieces …

At auction

Wow! This caught my eye in the news today … no, I don’t need a bright yellow diamond of almost 33ct (estimated at US$6-8m, at Christies), but it’s startling nonetheless.

news media; click on image for original source

In other more local auction news…

— at Phillips Auction (Malvern, Melbourne) on 19th September

• while there’s not my thing, I know some of you like jet : jet earrings (link)
• coral pieces too (link1, link2) – perhaps not special in their current form, but could certainly be re-purposed
• a very interesting box marriage ring (link)
• onyx cufflinks and dress studs (link)
• beautiful Japanese hand painted buttons (link)
• incredible earrings made of tortoiseshell inlaid with silver and gold (link)
• little groups of jewellery, including a group of hat pins (link)

— at Sotheby’s (Armadale, Melbourne), 13th September

• as expected, much higher quality than the above auction, and of course much higher prices … and more ostentaciousness and ugliness (and lots of yellow diamond – flavour of the month it seems)
• an amethyst necklace I know my aunt would love (link)
• everyone knows I love a deco brooch! (link)
• some stunning 1940s rings (link)
• in the market for a tiara? (link)
• ugly ring prize winner is especially fugly (link)

Finally though, make sure you get a look at the RMIT Master of Fine Art Auction site before the auction event 8th September 2011.

Happy reading.

RMIT Master of Fine Art Auction

Woah – how did this escape my attention before now!

All kinds of artworks are for auction – jewellery, metal-work, printmaking, painting, drawing, sculpture, photography …

auction media

Details: Silent Auction

Online Deadline: 4pm, 8th September 2011

Event:
Where: The Gossard Space, Level 3 RMIT Building 49, 67 Franklin St Melbourne (opposite Aldi supermarket)
When: 6-9pm, 8th September 2011

Website: http://rmit-mfa.squarespace.com/

The website says: “If you can’t make it on the night, let us know and we’ll make arrangements for any bids you’d like to place.” So it looks like the auction action continues at the event … but the banner says the auction ends at 4pm … so could someone involved in the auction please confirm (because the answer is likely to change someone’s decision to go to the event)??

Update (29th August): I have been advised that there is definitely ‘auction action’ at the event. The highest online bid at 4pm is the starting point for more silent bidding at the event.

Not convinced

Okay – so it has apparently broken Australian records for the highest price paid for a ‘piece of jewellery’ [Sotheby’s] …

media image; click on image for original source

But it hardly a ‘piece of jewellery’ in my opinion …
-> it’s two huge diamonds set in the least imaginative setting just so it could be sold …
-> the ‘jewellery’ component here is just so the rocks wouldn’t be sold as loose stones (and perhaps at a lower price) …
-> and there’s some import rule about bringing loose stones into some countries with attracts a much higher tax duty than applied to ‘jewellery’….
-> plus, some insurers won’t insure loose stones but will insure ‘jewellery’ …

Pfftt…

Update (30th June): since writing the above mini-rant, have found that the pendant was on a necklet of 24cts of diamonds … okay, so I suppose I have to relinquish and admit defeat, it is theoretically ‘jewellery’ …