A sapphire, demantoid garnet and enamel suite, Attributed to Louis Comfort Tiffany, Tiffany & Co., circa 1920. Sold for US$ 161,000 (€130,164). Photo: Bonhams.
NEW YORK, NY.- Intense and competitive online and telephone bidding brought the Fine Jewelry auction to a triumphant close, with sales totaling nearly $4.1 million. Colored gems, classic designs, and signature pieces performed fantastically.
Notable highlights of the afternoon include:
An exquisite diamond ring by Cartier, weighing 8.45 carats. Sold for US$ 293,000 (€236,882). Photo: Bonhams.
centering a cut-cornered rectangular step-cut diamond, weighing 8.45 carats, within a pierced and openwork pavé-set diamond surround, gallery and shoulders and shank;signed Cartier, New York; estimated remaining diamond weight: 3.75 carats; mounted in platinum; size 5 1/4
Accompanied by GIA report #1162755942, dated November 5, 2014, stating the center diamond as: I color, VS1 clarity.
Property of Mrs.Weyerhaeuser, thence descent to the present owner
Notes: Founded in 1900, Weyerhaeuser is today one of the world’s largest forest products companies. A venerable Northwest business, they sustainably grow and manage timberlands in the United States, Canada, and Uruguay, and manufacture wood and cellulose fiber products.
A rare antique Renaissance Revival suite of sapphire, demantoid garnet and enamel jewelry by Louis Comfort Tiffany for Tiffany & Co., circa 1920. Sold for US$ 161,000 (€130,164). Photo: Bonhams.
the pendant centering an oval, irregularly-domed cabochon sapphire, within a scrolling frame suspending a flexible swag, accented by circular and oval-cut demantoid garnets and sapphires, highlighted by enamel floral sprays, suspended from a chain of diminutive abstract floral links completed by a box clasp set with circular-cut sapphires, pendant earrings en suite; chain and pendant earrings signed Tiffany & Co.; mounted in gold; length: 2 3/4, 2 1/2, and 16in. (pendant unsigned)
Pendant accompanied by AGL report #CS 64374, dated November 13, 2014, stating the sapphire as: Ceylon (Sri Lanka) origin, no indications of heat or clarity enhancement. Ear pendants accompanied by AGL report #CS 64373 A and B, dated November 13, 2014, stating the sapphires as: Ceylon (Sri Lanka) origin, no indications of heat or clarity enhancement.
Notes: With its vivid blue and intense green color scheme, and its irregularly-domed, color-saturated sapphires, this suite features one of Louis Tiffany’s favored palettes, and exemplifies his preference for gemstones left as close as possible to their natural forms. The closely corresponding Renaissance style necklace (with related sketch #F5197) shown on pp. 134-5 and back cover of Janet Zapata’s The Jewelry and Enamels on Louis Comfort Tiffany is strongly related to this suite in form, materials, motifs and palette. Further, an enamel and lapis necklace dated 1920, pictured on pp. 86-87 of Louis Comfort Tiffany at Tiffany & Co., by John Loring, incorporates highly comparable enamel floral elements. Also, as with the majority of Tiffany’s work, the reverse of this pendant is partially enameled.
With its Renaissance form and baroque flourishes such as c-scrolls and formal floral bouquets, the suite demonstrates Tiffany’s interest in historicism and revival styles during the decade of 1910-1920. It was a period during which major collectors like J.P Morgan and Lockwood DeForest (a friend of Louis Tiffany) were amassing historical jewelry from Renaissance Europe, India and other civilizations. These collections were important sources of creative inspiration for Tiffany. This historicist influence was already evident in Tiffany’s critically acclaimed Etruscan jewelry of 1906, and in the progression of subsequent jewels in the Indian, Hellenistic and Byzantine styles. The so-called Mogul necklace, featuring a cabochon sapphire pendant on a silk cord, and the neo-Egyptian bracelet, set with Maine tourmalines, represent a couple of his most successful designs as a jeweler. Although he became more interested in establishing his Foundation, leaving less time for the artistic direction of the firm, Tiffany continued to design jewelry, according to John Loring, until he closed the glass furnaces in 1924. Under Tiffany’s influence, the jewelry department overseer from 1914-1933, Meta Overbeck, was also incorporating these historical references into the firm’s work. Her design drawings, preserved at the Charles Hosmer Moore Museum of American Art in Florida, contain sketches for jewelry similar to this suite in form and motif. Sketches for analogous pieces appear on page 15 and on preceding pages of her design book, among the series numbered F5100-F5300.
After nearly a century later, it is unusual to find such a suite of jewelry intact; one which reflects the unconventional jewels that Tiffany offered their affluent patrons.
A Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring that fetched $118,750 (€96,006), almost twice the high estimate. Photo: Bonhams.
set with cushion mixed-cut sapphire, measuring approximately 8.7 x 7.5 x 5.63mm., flanked by old European-cut diamonds, within a pierced and openwork mount, enhanced by single-cut diamonds sapphire weighs approximately 3.20 carats; estimated total diamond weight: 1.00 each; mounted in platinum; size 5 1/4
Accompanied by AGL report #CS 63499, dated October 7, 2014 stating the sapphire as: Kashmir origin, no indications of heat or clarity enhancement.
A Burma sapphire and diamond brooch with a diamond weight of 6.85 carats, sold for US$ 112,500 (€90,953), an impressive 9 times the high estimate. Photo: Bonhams.
centering a cut cornered rectangular step-cut sapphire, within an old mine-cut diamond surround, enhanced by rose-cut diamonds; estimated total diamond weight: 6.85 carats; mounted in silver topped 14k rose gold; length: 1 1/4in.
Accompanied by AGL report #CS 64337, dated November 13, 2014, stating the sapphire as: Burma (Myanmar) origin, no indications of heat or clarity enhancement.
Passed through the family by descent from the Estate of a New York Socialite
A Colombian emerald and diamond ring, featuring a large emerald cabochon weighing approximately 50 carats surrounded by diamonds. It achieved $106,250 (€85,900), over 3.5 times the high estimate. Photo: Bonhams.
centering an oval emerald cabochon, measuring approximately 23.3 x 20.5 x 16.55mm., within a baguette and single-cut diamond surround; emerald weighs approximately: 22.00 carats; mounted in platinum; size 4 1/4 (with sizer)
Accompanied by AGL report #CS 63500, dated October 7, 2014, stating the emerald as: Colombian origin, with minor, modern clarity enhancement
A late art deco Burma ruby and diamond bracelet, circa 1935, with a total diamond weight of 14.00 carats, which sold for $106,250 (€85,900), well past its high estimate. Photo: Bonhams.
designed as a tapering circular-cut diamond tapering band, enhanced by baguette-cut diamond detail, centering oval and circular-cut ruby clusters; estimated total diamond weight: 14.00 carats; mounted in platinum; length: 6 3/4in.
Accompanied by AGL report #CS 64376, dated November 13, 2014, stating the rubies as: Classic Burma (Myanmar) origin, no indications of heat or clarity enhancement.
Passed through the family by descent from the Estate of a New York Socialite
A pair of natural button pearl diamond ear studs, each over 10mm, realizing $45,000 (€36,381), close to 6.5 times its high estimate. Photo: Bonhams.
each natural button pearl measuring approximately 10.27 and 10.35mm.; mounted in 18k white gold
Accompanied by GIA report #5161602019, dated October 8, 2014, stating: the pearls are of natural origin, saltwater, no indications of treatment
Passed through the family by descent from the Estate of a New York Socialite.
“More contemporary signed jewels continue to thrive in the auction environment,” said Susan Abeles, Vice President and Director of the Jewelry at Bonhams North America, “The sale was dominated by colorful estate property which was well received by an international audience.”
The next Fine Jewelry sale will take place in New York in April 2015. A selection of jewelry from the Estate of Lauren Bacall will be offered at auction as part of The Lauren Bacall Collection on March 31 and April 1 of 2015.
