Sotheby's Fine Jewels

[MSC]

So there's this:
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2014/fine-jewels-l14050/lot.296.html
Where's my independently wealthy future husband at?

 

[Isi]

Very pretty !

 

[GemGeek]

Thanks for finding that. <sigh>

 

[pattye]

OOOOOhhhhhhh, nice one, Andrea! Love to see it in person!

 

[Amrita]

That's an exquisite piece! Thanks for sharing! Love it!

 

[MSC]

I hope someone can go see it in person and take some IRL photos to post here!

 

[Amanda]

That's gorgeous - and there's some other pearly treasures in the same auction, too.

There's this lovely natural graduated strand:

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2014/fine-jewels-l14050/lot.27.html

And natural pearl and diamond earrings - 12mm each, those pearls, which is massive for naturals, isn't it?

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2014/fine-jewels-l14050/lot.277.html

I might have to go and drool in person (-:

Trouble with any of those pieces of jewellery, they're so valuable, you'd need your own personal hotline to the local nick and a bodyguard or two!

 

[MSC]

There are a few natural pearl bracelets that are to die for as well! Really good auction, I'd love to go see it in person. Amanda, if you go, definitely share here!

 

[Amanda]

I might well go for the viewing on the Sunday, rather than the actual auction. Dearly beloved will be in Israel with our son for Passover, so I won't be abandoning my family for pearly pleasures if I do!

 

[kiwipaul]

Thanks Andrea for alerting us to this auction.

That necklace is very unusual and rather interesting.

Looking at the range of colors, it seems to me that many of the pearls are most likely to be from the South Pacific.

This begs the question who could have assembled a collection of Natural South Seas Pearls like this, circa 1900.

I'm thinking French, with pearl origins in French Polynesia (Tahiti).

Then you have the design of the necklace which is quite striking.

This necklace may turn out to be from one of the great French jewelry houses, perhaps someone like Falize.

It will be very interesting to see what it goes for.

 

[MSC]

I would agree with you on what you mentioned, Paul. I was thinking the same thing regarding the source of pearls. Also, I think for such a clearly important necklace the description provided is woefully lacking. But I always seem to think that about high value auctions. It's like there's just minimal research done or described.

 

[pattye]

It's like there's just minimal research done or described.

Do you feel that is done purposely? To prevent any chance of misrepresentation? To create more interest in the object?

 

[MSC]

Certainly, that could be Pattye. Who wants to deal with litigation? From the consumer perspective though, if I were to spend that much money on one item, I would want as much detailed expert opinion as possible. An auction house can always add statements to cover themselves in the case of accidental misrepresentation. 30 to 50 GBP is a LOT of money and there's not even a certificate offered for the pearls. What's the provenance behind the piece that allows them to list the piece as natural pearl? That's the sort of information I would want to read about if I were a prospective buyer.