The story of the jewelry’s owner is more fascinating than her jewels to be sold next week by Christie’s in New York. Huguette Clark died at 104, a recluse for 60-years. Unseen in a vault for most of those years were a rare 9-carat pink diamond and an“internally flawless” 44.09 carat D-color, emerald cut diamond. Christie’s will offer 17 of Clark’s pieces, expecting a total of $12m.Ms. Clark, the daughter of a Montana copper mogul, moved from her enormous 5th Avenue apartment and lived the last 22-years in a hospital room surrounded by her dolls. She had no children. Even distant relatives were not allowed to visit. Her art and real estate holdings were vast and the estate is now tied up in a number of lawsuits.
Jewels From Eccentric Heiress Come Out Of Vault
April 13, 2012
“Harry Legacy” Sells For $26.m
May 17, 2013Money has been flooding into the rapidly rising diamond market in recent months, as collectors seek remunerative parking spots for their investment dollars. The latest example is the $26.7m that jeweler Harry Winston paid this week at a Christie’s auction in Geneva for a flawless 101.73-carat “colorless” diamond. The price was a new high for a diamond of this type, exceeding the last auction price record by more than $10m.
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Bizarre Topless Photo of Jolie, $45,500
May 16, 2013A bizarre topless photo of Angelina Jolie called “Horseplay” sold at Christie’s London auction last night for $45,500. The “Wild Side of Photography” sale was scheduled well before Jolie’s double mastectomy announcement. Taken when she was 25, the photo also prominently displays a “Billy Bob” tattoo, referring to former husband Thornton who has since been removed from her shoulder and her life.
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Soutine & Chagall Lead Muted Christie’s Sale
May 9, 2013With a line-up of works less stellar than those Sotheby’s had offered the night before, Christie’s encountered a relatively muted response at its sale of Impressionist & Modern Art on Wednesday evening in New York. The top sellers were Soutine’s “Le Petit Pâtissier” from 1927, which generated just one bid and sold for its low $16m estimate, and Chagall’s 1926 canvas “Les Trois Acrobates.” A telephone bidder claimed the painting for $11.5m, well above its $6m-$9m estimate.
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Rising Value of Unrestored Cars
By Malcolm Welford, Vintage Car Specialist
