Marie Antoinette's pearls up for auction

[Casey.R]

Have you seen this yet? This necklace sure does look interesting.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070927/en_nm/arts_marieantoinette_dc

 

[salem]

Wow, what a find. I wish I could see them, wherever they will be offered to the public for viewing. I bet they go for more, maybe much more than the estimate. I think there are a lot of people who are fascinated by Marie Antoinette, and to own such a special piece would truly be remarkable. Not to mention the interest by the museums.

 

[youngster]

Fascinating. But, honestly, I think the Sutherland family should donate them to the Louvre. After all, they belonged to Marie Antoinette (who obviously thought she would get them back some day) and so it seems as though they should have gone back to her descendants ages ago and then to the people of France. Guess possession really is 9/10's of the law!

 

[salem]

After all, they belonged to Marie Antoinette (who obviously thought she would get them back some day) and so it seems as though they should have gone back to her descendants ages ago and then to the people of France. Guess possession really is 9/10's of the law!

Well, I am sure the family would have given them to her decendants, but her son was killed too, wasn't he? As far as I know, her line was wiped out with him. And even if you went into her brother's family, then they would have gone to the ruling party of Austria. And I can't see Austria having any claim in a French queens jewels.

 

[salem]

Aha, I see. I just went to Wikipedia, and I guess MArie had four children all together? Unless I misread, two died as children. Her son, the Dauphin, died of Tuberculosis in jail. Her other doughter did survive the revolution, but remained childless. The things Inever knew.

 

[Slraep]

The necklace was commisioned some 50 years after the execution of the French Queen, fondly remembered as "Madame Deficit". It is only the loose pearls that belonged to her. Vive la perle naturel!

Personally I don't care for the design of the necklace and I don't think Marie Antoinette would have cared for the design either. The natural pearls on the other hand, well, that's another story. Drool, drool.

Slraep

 

[KAC]

maybe its just me, my monitor or the picture - but am I the only one who finds grey pearls with a brown overtone, less then appealing? Yes the are natural, but that doesn't automatically make them beautiful to me.

Certainly the historical aspects are interesting but the actual design and pearls are not moving me in the slightest.

 

[Valeria101]

maybe its just me, my monitor or the picture - but am I the only one who finds grey pearls with a brown overtone...

No... Clearly they are fine pearls, but definitely not the finest a queen of France might have had. The setting and price gives them their due...methinks. Would imagine that much of the value comes from provenance.

I ma not saying that those are not fine natural pearls! Just clearly not the finest imaginable. Perhaps their flaws stand out more because of their provenance: after all, the same ranks of folks mentioned as previous owners would indeed be associated with some of the most extraordinary jewelry. 'Guess 'provenance' works both ways: to pump up price, but also pump up expectations even more so...

Their imperfection also brings home the rarity of natural pearls. They were fit for a queen after all!

All these things that come to mind infront of a historic bit of jewelry. These things have a way of attracting attention, don't they


I can barely understand what it might have taken to assemble that set as it is.... Can't imagine the process of achieving a set like THESE

Perhaps some of the pearl folk posting here and dealing with naturals could come up with an estimate: how long and how much search might have taken to put such a set up (as the one in the necklace being auctioned, not the Youssupov picture)? Is it even possible today with how few new natural pearls are being harvested (as opposed to recycled from old jewelry)?

 

[Slraep]

Here's a better view of it. Yes, it's uglier than I thought. No way Marie Antoinette would have been impressed with the design.

 

[Valeria101]

No way Marie Antoinette would have been impressed with the design.

Hm... these 'slave necklaces' with their stiff frames, rope and chain motifs went out of favour and out of sight completely. Apparently many, many others agreed with you over time.

What do you see as a major shortcomming of this one?

 

[Slraep]

I can barely understand what it might have taken to assemble that set as it is.... Can't imagine the process of achieving a set like THESE

Now we are talking jewels!!! That is one of my favourite tiaras. It's stunning. Imagine prancing around in that thing and Boo's sandals. That tiara just haunts me. Coincidentally, the tiara was in the collection of Queen Mary too. If I am not mistaken, it comes apart into two daintier tiaras. Or maybe it was altered. It was originally part of the Yussupov jewels. What more could a girl want? I think Marie Antoinette would approve. Diana found the tiara was too heavy and it gave her a headache. What a silly princess.

What do you see as a major shortcomming of this one?

Too many of them, so I would have to say---pretty much everything.

Slraep

 

[Casey.R]

Well I don't know about the pearls cause I haven't seen them in person of course, but I like the design ( nice sizes). It's unique and if I owned it I'd wear it for sure.

 

[Valeria101]

Can't say I hate it... the colors and model reminds me of a medieval clown's bells and patchy coat. Not too bad making fun of pearls, just once.

 

[GemGeek]

I feel like I'm outing myself.

Okay -- I like the necklace.
And I like brown/brownish pearls.
And brown diamonds.
And Padparascha-color Sapphire, even Be treated, even if it's become cliche'.
Oh, and it's me that buys all the offbeat colors of spinel.

 

[Slraep]

... the colors and model reminds me of a medieval clown's bells and patchy coat.

Hi Ana,

That's the description I was looking for. Except mine had a jester instead of a clown.

Maybe my not liking the necklace has nothing to do with its "heavy" stiff looking geometric and twisty body not really showing off the pearls to their best advantage. Maybe it is because clowns and jesters creep me out.

Slraep

 

[Valeria101]

Hi Ana,

That's the description I was looking for. Except mine had a jester instead of a clown.

[...] clowns and jesters creep me out.

Slraep

And they say 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder'. Bogus! I also feel an unsettling, morbid touch in the correct geometry plus organically stained and blemished pearls... A 'complicated' kind of beauty like a Dutch master's composition of fresh flowers and decayed fruit bringing mortality to the dinner table.

'Bet someone will meet the auction estimate for the sake of the fatalistic aesthetics. Much in line with the most famous owner's demise Phew!

Hate clowns too.

That is one of my favourite tiaras. It's stunning. Imagine prancing around in that thing and Boo's sandals.

Now, Slraep... be good. That was a heck of a laugh !

 

[Caitlin]

Christie's to sell Marie Antoinette's Pearls

Christie's to sell Marie Antoinette's Pearls

More than two hundred years after she was put to death, Marie Antoinette continues to fascinate us. Movies, biographies and now a much anticipated sale later this month of a necklace incorporating a handful of precious pearls once having belonged to the tragic queen captures our attention. Known as Madame Deficite for her lavish spending on fashion and jewels, Marie Antoinette's name is synonymous with extreme extravagance.
The historically important natural pearl, diamond and ruby necklace will be sold at auction on Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at Christie's in London. According to Christie's London, the sumptuous pearls which were incorporated into a necklace in 1849 were given by Marie Antoinette to Lady Sutherland (Elizabeth Leveson-Gower), the wife of the British ambassador (1790-92) Lord George Leveson-Gower, for safekeeping. Lady Elizabeth is believed to have aided King Louis XVI and his family’s failed flight from France on June 20, 1791, during the French Revolution (1789-1799). Prior to Lady Sutherland’s departure, as part of the embassy’s hurried withdrawal in August 1792, Marie Antoinette gave Lady Sutherland a bag of pearls and diamonds for safe keeping. As the wife of the British Ambassador, Lady Sutherland enjoyed diplomatic immunity and was one of the few who could be trusted to return the jewels when the Queen escaped, a plan which was never to be realised. The pearls have been in the same family for over two hundred years.
The necklace has a fringe of twenty one graduated drop-shaped grey natural pearls, each suspended from an old-cut diamond collet surmount to the diamond ribbon which intertwines the ruby collar. The collar is set with twelve button-shaped grey natural pearls which are mounted in gold. The exquisite necklace has never been offered at auction before and is therefore completely fresh to the market. It is estimated it will fetch between ?350,000 GBP and ?400,000 GBP

 

[KAC]

Natural Sea of Cortez pearls!!

well thats unfortunate since those are among my top 3 pearl types - but these specimens while rare are not beautiful, to me at least.

Rare doesn't equal beautiful to me, but to some it does I guess.

 

[Caitlin]

I just thought this necklace was interestingly similar

<H3>A 19th century articulated fringe of old-mine cut diamonds with foliate motifs alternating with natural pearls fringe necklace

A 19th century articulated fringe of old-mine cut diamonds with foliate motifs alternating with natural pearls fringe necklace ​

The articulated fringe of old-mine cut diamonds with foliate motifs alternating with natural pearls, suspended from a row of collet-set old mine-cut diamonds within open-back mounts, mounted in silver-topped gold, diamonds approximately 18.00 carats total, detaches to form two separate bracelets of various lengths, length of bracelets 15.5cm and 22.0cm respectively, total length of necklace 37.5cm. Sold for HK$450,000 plus Premium and tax
Footnote: Accompanied by a certificate from the International Gemological Institute, stating that the thirteen pearls are natural and of cream translucent colour and, the twenty-six diamonds range from F to K colour and VVS to I1 clarity. Report number M3J16538, dated 10th September 2007.

</H3>

 

[Slraep]

Yet another view...