This week and for the next two weeks I'm going to be writing about the jewellery of screen legend. Elizabeth Taylor.
Elizabeth Taylor, more then any other Hollywood glittering star, loved her jewellery and had brilliant taste.
In December 2011, new world records were born when her collections went up for sale in Christie's, New York sales room.
At the end of the week long auction $156,756,576 had been sold and every item sold sometimes more then 50 times the estimate!
In these 3 posts I'll be telling you about 3 of the 1778 lots of jewellery that were sold.
This week is la Peregrine pearl, which was the highest seller making $11.8million, surpassing the original estimate and making nearly $9million more.
Who can blame the bidders? This pearl has a fantastic pedigree and an even more amazing story.
The La Peregrina pearl is a pear shaped pearl and at the time of its discovery was the biggest pearl ever found. It was discovered by an African slave almost 500 years ago at pearl island in the gulf of Panama. The African slave was given his freedom in return for giving over the pearl.
The was given to Spain and the future king of Spain. It was then used as the engagement present of Mary Tudor and Phillip II in 1554, after her death it returned to Spain and belonged to a succession of eight kings until 1808.
Next came Joseph Bonaparte the big brother of Napoleon. It was now that the pearl got the name La Peregrina meaning the wanderer. It was left to napoleon III of France who sold it.
James Hamilton, Marquess and later Duke of Abercorn brought it for his wife Louisa. It was while it belonged to Louisa it was lost at least 2 times, once during a visit to Windsor Castle when it fell out it's setting was lost down the back of a sofa, then again during a ball at Buckingham Palace. Thankfully it was recovered both times. the family owned it until 1969 when they sold it and it came into Elizabeth Taylor's procession.
Richard Burton brought it from Sotherby's auction house for Elizabeth Taylor for $37,000 and gave it to her as a Valentine's Day gift during their first marriage.
Unfortunately she also lost the La Peregrina one day while wearing it (I think im beginning to understand why it's called the wanderer!!) Taylor searched her apartment for the pearl but couldn't find it until she noticed her dog chewing on something. The dogs weren't allowed bones so she went to investigate and found the pearl in the dogs mouth! Luckily it was still in perfect condition without even a scratch from it's ordeal!
The La Peregrina was next re commissioned into necklace setting by the jewellers Cartier. It was in this mounting that it was lent to the Smithsonian Institution for their 'The Allure Of Pearls' exhibition.
Of course next came December 2011 when it went up for auction and sold with Elizabeth Taylor's other fascinating jewellery and haute couture.
Next week I will be writing more about the auction and another piece that sold that day, the Krupp Diamond.
Richard Burton brought it from Sotherby's auction house for Elizabeth Taylor for $37,000 and gave it to her as a Valentine's Day gift during their first marriage.
Unfortunately she also lost the La Peregrina one day while wearing it (I think im beginning to understand why it's called the wanderer!!) Taylor searched her apartment for the pearl but couldn't find it until she noticed her dog chewing on something. The dogs weren't allowed bones so she went to investigate and found the pearl in the dogs mouth! Luckily it was still in perfect condition without even a scratch from it's ordeal!
The La Peregrina was next re commissioned into necklace setting by the jewellers Cartier. It was in this mounting that it was lent to the Smithsonian Institution for their 'The Allure Of Pearls' exhibition.
Of course next came December 2011 when it went up for auction and sold with Elizabeth Taylor's other fascinating jewellery and haute couture.
Next week I will be writing more about the auction and another piece that sold that day, the Krupp Diamond.
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