“London Auctions Celebrate Fashion and Jewelry - Wall Street Journal” |
| London Auctions Celebrate Fashion and Jewelry - Wall Street Journal Posted: 25 Nov 2010 05:48 PM PST The next two weeks of London fashion and jewelry auctions has a soft spot for love affairs, opulence and centuries of style. On Tuesday, Sotheby's will offer jewelry from the collection of the Duchess of Windsor. The pieces document the famous love story in which King Edward VIII of England abdicated his throne on Dec. 11, 1936, to marry the American divorcée and socialite Wallis Simpson. He lived abroad and assumed the title of Duke of Windsor. Throughout their time together, the couple commissioned jewels from the great European jewelry houses. "They used jewelry to commemorate their relationship," says David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby's jewelry in Europe. In the sale will be a diamond bracelet by Cartier that supports nine gem-set crosses, each representing special moments in the Duchess's life between 1934 and 1944 (estimate: £350,000-£450,000). One cross is a reminder of an assassination attempt against the duke when he was still king, with an inscription "God save the King for Wallis." Another is inscribed "Our marriage Cross" for that event in 1937. An emerald, ruby and diamond heart-shaped brooch with a crown on the top by Cartier commemorates their 20th wedding anniversary in 1957 (£100,000-£150,000). Further Cartier pieces include a striking brooch from 1940 shaped as a flamingo ablaze with rubies, sapphires, emeralds, citrines and diamonds (estimate: £1 million-£1.5 million); and, carrying the same estimate, a very realistic onyx and diamond bracelet from 1952 formed as a stalking panther, with deep green emeralds creating frightening eyes. On Wednesday, Christie's will offer jewels worn by Winifred, Duchess of Portland (1863-1954), one of the great beauties of her time. In the catalog, the Duchess is pictured at the turn of the century, dripping in jewels as she attends major ceremonial events. Her sumptuous, diamond and natural pearl brooch (circa 1870) is estimated at £500,000-£700,000. The duchess's opulent diamond festoon necklace (circa 1870) will also be featured (estimate: £400,000-£600,000). Christie's annual "Fashion Through the Ages" sale takes place Thursday, featuring couture clothing, historical dress, handbags, luggage and costume jewelry from the 17th century to the present day. Collectors are looking for "anything that turns heads," says Pat Frost, head of Christie's textiles and costumes department in London, adding that "fashion is an accessible area for collecting. Everyone has an opinion on fashion. You don't need a lot of background knowledge." In this sale, my favorite item is a pair of 18th-century embroidered, green silk lady's shoes protected by equally beautiful pattens, overshoes worn outside to elevate the normal shoe above mud and dirt (estimate: £5,000-£6,000). They make today's stilettos look terribly tatty. Very dashing is an 18th-century, French gentleman's shirt and trousers that look as if the owner was up for a naughty tryst (estimate: £2,000-£4,000). The 20th-century's most appealing designers are prominent in the Christie's sale. A superb sapphire-blue, velvet evening gown with a deep cut-out back from the 1930s by Elsa Schiaparelli is estimated at £3,000-£5,000; a simple, slick safari suit with short pants from the 1970s by Yves Saint Laurent, at £2,000-£4,000; and a micro-mini dress from the 1990s with red hexagonal breast plates and a printed plush velvet draped skirt from Gianni Versace, at £2,000-£3,000. Christie's follows this sale with "Elegance: The Luxury Sale" on Dec. 8-9. In it, says Ms. Frost, "we have things you don't need, but want to have." They include desired accessories, small jewelry items, watches and René Lalique glass objects that make for Christmas presents. A highlight of the Elegance sale will be more than 50 Hermès bags in virtually every color of the rainbow and dating from the 1960s to the present day. This year, Ms. Frost has more crocodile Hermès bags on offer, "They are the most sought after," she says. "If you have a crocodile bag, it gives out an extra signal that you are a V.I.P." The Hermès bags on offer range in estimate from around £1,200 to £32,000. Write to Margaret Studer at wsje.weekend@wsj.com This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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