Skinner Fine Jewelry Auction Brings $4.7 Million

by Robyn Hawk on December 16, 2011

Skinner Fine Jewelry Auction Brings $4.7Million, $1.3 Million
Over Pre-Auction Estimate
A classic example of Art Decojewelry leads the way with an outstanding result

Skinner, Inc. today announcedthe results of its latest Fine Jewelryauction, which was held in Boston on December 6th. The highly successful salegrossed $4.7 million including buyer’s premium, surpassing the pre-auctionestimate high by more than a million dollars. Colored stones, Art Deco pieces,diamonds, and natural pearls were especially strong performers.
Colored Stones & Art Deco Jewelry
A rare star Burma ruby anddiamond ring (lot 751) smashed the auction presale estimate ($15,000 to$20,000). Featuring an oval cabochon star ruby weighing 28.00 cts., the stone wasextraordinary in size and color, and brought an outstanding $242,500. A Kashmirsapphire ring (lot 763) featuring a cushion-cut sapphire weighing 8.40 cts.sold for an impressive $369,000, and an oval-cut, unmounted, yellow sapphire(lot 225A) brought $159,975.

Afine French Art Deco carved emerald, ruby and diamond pendant brooch (lot 750)by Chaumet (originally from the Lillian S. Timken collection) sold for$385,500, and, a fine Art Deco platinum and diamond figural bracelet (lot 764),originally retailed by Thomas Kirkpatrick, sold for $171,825.
Diamonds & NaturalPearls
Whilecolored stones and Art Deco pieces were very popular, diamonds also made anexcellent showing, proving the timeless appeal of the diamond solitaire and thestrength of the market for high-clarity. A round brilliant diamond weighing4.98 cts. (lot 747) with melee accents sold for $385,500. Other diamondsolitaires included a round, brilliant-cut diamond (lot 648) weighing 3.00 cts.that sold for $84,135, and, a solitaire set with a full-cut diamond (lot 642)weighing 5.16 cts., which brought $74,655.
Severallots featuring natural pearls also sold well. A necklace composed ofeighty-seven natural pearls ranging from 4.10 to 7.90 mm and accompanied by aGIA report from 1956 (lot 665) sold for $46,215. A pair of natural pearl anddiamond ear pendants (lot 737), also with a GIA report, sold for $26,070.
Artist-Signed and VintageJewelry
Wellknown for bringing importantartist-signed and vintage jewelry to auction, Skinner continues to satisfythe demand for unusual and signed works. A pair of antique 18kt gold andreverse-painted crystal fishbowl ear pendants from the 1870s (lot 509) brought$17,775, and an Edwardian diamond sunburst pendant/brooch from Tiffany &Co. (lot 762) brought $74,062.
An18kt gold and enamel caddis worm pendant/brooch by John Paul Miller (lot 424)demonstrates beautifully the goldsmith’s mastery of enamel and granulation andbrought $11,258. A brooch (lot 484) from the 1870s depicting Alcatraz Islandfrom the days before it was a prison sold for $7,703.
According to VictoriaBratberg, director of Fine Jewelry at Skinner, “This auction was uniformlystrong across all the categories: colored stones, diamonds, natural pearls,artist-signed jewelry, Art Deco, and antique works.” Bratberg continued, “The sale generated interestfrom around the world, and demonstrates our ability to consign extraordinaryjewelry that brings top prices at auction.”
About Skinner
Skinner, Inc. is one of the world’sleading auction houses for antiques and fine art. With expertise in over 20specialty collecting areas, Skinner draws the interest of buyers from all overthe world and its auctions regularly achieve world record prices. Skinnerprovides a broad range of auction and appraisal services, and it is widelyregarded as one of the most trusted names in the auction business.  Skinner’s appraisal experts regularly appearon the PBS-TV series, Antiques Roadshow, and its specialty departmentsinclude American Furniture & Decorative Arts, American & European Worksof Art, European Furniture & Decorative Arts, 20th CenturyDesign, Fine Ceramics, Fine Jewelry, Couture, Fine Musical Instruments, AsianWorks of Art, Fine Wines, Rare Books & Manuscripts, Oriental Rugs &Carpets, American Indian & Ethnographic Art, Fine Judaica, Antique MotorVehicles, Toys, Dolls & Collectibles, Discovery and Science, Technology& Clocks. Skinner galleries are located in Boston and Marlborough, Mass.For more information on upcoming auctions and events, visit Skinner’s web site www.skinnerinc.com. 

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