The Crown Jewels of Hollywood – The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor
CHRISTIE’S ANNOUNCES THE LEGENDARY JEWELS
FROM THE COLLECTION OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR – FIRST IN A SERIES OF SALES DEVOTED TO THE FILM STAR’S LEGACY
A LIFETIME OF GLAMOUR AND GREAT MOMENTS REFLECTED IN AN
ICONIC COLLECTION OF DIAMONDS, PEARLS, GEMSTONES,
HISTORIC JEWELS AND STORIED GIFTS
GLOBAL THREE-MONTH TOUR OF COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS KICKS OFF SEPTEMBER 15 IN MOSCOW
New York – Christie’s is proud to announce details of the first in a four-day series of landmark sales devoted to the iconic collection of Elizabeth Taylor, the celebrated film star, fashion icon, and humanitarian. On December 13, 2011, Christie’s New York will present 80 of Ms. Taylor’s most iconic jewels in a special Evening Sale, followed by 189 additional jewels in twoDay Sale sessions on December 14. Widely celebrated as one of the greatest private collections ever assembled, this dazzling array of jewels includes Elizabeth Taylor’s most iconic diamonds, gemstones, historic jewels, and one-of-a-kind creations, as well as a treasure trove of personal mementos and beloved gifts. The total selection of 269 magnificent jewels from this storied collection is estimated to achieve well in excess of $30 million.
“From her most jaw-dropping diamonds, gems, and one-of-a-kind historic jewels, to cherished ‘It’s Tuesday, I love you gifts’, and never-before-seen keepsakes, Elizabeth Taylor’s magnificent collection of jewels promises to captivate the auction world this fall. This is without a doubt the greatest private collection of jewelry ever assembled in one place, and Christie’s is honored to have been entrusted with the global tour of the collection this fall, and the sale of the collection in its entirety this December,” said Marc Porter, Chairman and President of Christie’s Americas.
“Elizabeth Taylor’s passion for jewelry was well-known, but it is her depth of knowledge about fine jewelry that truly impresses,” added François Curiel, International Jewelry Director and President of Christie’s Asia. “From the first time I met her in 1998, it was clear that she possessed an expert’s eye for craftsmanship, rarity, quality and history. She collected the best pieces from the best periods, and as a result her collection boasts exquisite examples from the most celebrated of jewelry designers, including BVLGARI, Boucheron, Cartier, JAR, Schlumberger, Tiffany, and Van Cleef & Arpels, among others. Elizabeth Taylor always planned to offer her collection of jewelry at auction and I hope that the next owner of each of these iconic pieces will enjoy and respect these jewels just as much as she did, and as she herself said, ‘give them a really good home’”.
Select highlights from the Elizabeth Taylor’s collection of magnificent jewels will begin a three-month global tour this month, starting with a public exhibition at GUM on Moscow’s Red Square on September 15, followed by public exhibitions of collection highlights in London, Los Angeles, Dubai, Geneva, Paris, and Hong Kong. In December, the tour will culminate in a special ten-day exhibition of the complete collection at Christie’s New York (for tour schedule, see detailed schedule in addendum, or visit www.christies.com/elizabethtaylor).
A 33-carat diamond and a Van Gogh painting will be among top lots in auctions that may raise more than $50 million for the estate of Elizabeth Taylor.
Christie’s International announced the contents of the New York and London sales yesterday as it put on show some of the 1,000 lots of jewelry, couture and art formerly owned by the Oscar-winning actress and philanthropist.
Taylor died in March, aged 79. Bloomberg reported in April that a sale was planned.
The star of “Cleopatra,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” made more than 50 movies and was married eight times. She was an inveterate collector and wearer of jewels.
The 33.19-carat emerald-cut diamond was a gift from Richard Burton, whom she married twice. Burton bought the piece at Sotheby’s, New York, in May 1968 for $305,000, then an auction record for such a ring.
The stone, worn by Taylor on an almost- daily basis, will reappear at Christie’s Rockefeller Plaza rooms priced at $2.5 million to $3 million on Dec. 13. The two-day sale of Taylor’s jewels is valued at $30 million.
A necklace incorporating a pear-shaped 203-grain pearl known as “La Peregrina” — formerly part of the crown jewels of Spain — was another Burton gift. It is valued at $2 million to $3 million.
The exhibition runs from today to Sept. 26 at Christie’s in London. The show, comprising more than 100 pieces, continues on a world tour toLos Angeles, Dubai, Geneva, Paris, Hong Kong and New York. Visitors to the London preview will be charged 10 pounds and the boxed five-volume catalog costs $300. A portion of these proceeds will be donated to the Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation (ETAF), the auction house said in an e-mailed statement.
Landscape Claim
Taylor was the daughter of an art dealer, who championed the work of Augustus John in the U.S. He bought Van Gogh’s 1889 landscape “Vue de l’Asile et de la Chapelle de Saint-Remy” for his daughter for 92,000 pounds at Sotheby’s (BID) London in 1963. The painting subsequently became the subject of a restitution claim that was rejected by a U.S. appeals court in 2007.
The intensely rendered canvas — one of 17 artworks in the preview — is now valued at 5 million pounds to 7 million pounds. Christie’s will include Taylor’s most valuable paintings in its London series of Impressionist and Modern art auctions on Feb. 7-8, 2012.
Her couture, costume, decorative arts and memorabilia will be sold in New York on Dec. 14-16. Additional lower-value items, including costume jewelry, will be offered online at www.christies.com from Dec. 3-17.
The preview also includes a Chanel ballgown that Taylor wore to the Royal Film Performance of “The Taming of the Shrew” and a Tiziani black velvet evening cape the star commissioned for Princess Grace of Monaco’s 40th birthday “Scorpio Ball.” These have minimum values of $6,000 and $2,000.
Visit Chstie’s website for more info:
http://www.christies.com/features/auctions/1211/elizabeth-taylor-collection/
The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor Exhibition Tour
EVENT DATE: 5 SEPTEMBER – 12 DECEMBER 2011
In keeping with Elizabeth Taylor’s life-long devotion to humanitarian causes, Christie’s is pleased to announce that a portion of the monies generated by exhibition admissions, events and select publications related to the sales will be donated to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation(ETAF). Founded in l991, ETAF provides funding to AIDS service organizations throughout the world to assist those living with HIV and AIDS.
Exhibition Tour Schedule:
- Moscow
GUM, Red Square 3
15 September 11am-6pm
16 September 11am-6pm
- London
Christie’s, 8 King Street, St. James’s
24 September 9:30am-5:30pm
25 September 9:30am-5:30pm
26 September 9:30am-12:30pmTickets must be purchased at the door. Admission: £10
- Los Angeles
MOCA Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood
13 October 12pm-5pm
14 October 12pm-7:30pm
15 October 10am-7:30pm
16 October 10am-4:30pmTICKETS ARE NOW SOLD OUT FOR THE LOS ANGELES EXHIBITION
- Dubai
Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Sheikh Zayed Road
23 October 2pm-10pm
- Geneva
Four Seasons Hotel, 33 quai des Bergues
11 November 10am-6pm
12 November 10am-6pm
- Paris
Christie’s, 9 avenue Matignon
16 November 12pm – 12am
17 November 10am – 12pm
- Hong Kong
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, Wanchai
24-27 November
Viewing times to be announced
- New York
Christie’s, 20 Rockefeller Plaza
3-12 December
Viewing times to be announcedThis is a timed-ticketed exhibition. Admission: $30. Tickets will be available soon.
The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor
Auction Dates: 13-16 December 2011
Christie’s, 20 Rockefeller Plaza, New York
Online Time-Based Auction, 3-17 December 2011
General Inquiries:
elizabethtaylorcollection@christies.com
Tel: +1 212 468 7199
Catalogue Inquiries:
elizabethtaylorcatalogues@christies.com
