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Auctions

Historic Jewels to Go Under the Hammer at Sotheby's Auction

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A diamond brooch owned and abandoned by Napoleon Bonaparte after the Battle of Waterloo will go under the hammer for the first time at Sotheby's The Royal and Noble Jewels Sale on November 12, with an estimated sale price of £112,674 to £187,790. The brooch, created for Napoleon I in about 1810, features a large oval diamond at its center weighing 13.04 carats, surrounded by nearly one hundred mine-cut diamonds of varying shapes and sizes. A hair ornament made with pearls that belonged to Cunegonde de Saxony, a cousin of Louis XVI King of France, will also be auctioned, estimated to sell for between £320,815 and £471,708. A light pink diamond ring, part of a collection of twenty jewels that belonged to Ottoman princess Neslishah Sultan, is expected to fetch between £226,483 and £377,472.

Key Takeaways:

  • A diamond brooch owned by Napoleon Bonaparte after the Battle of Waterloo will be auctioned at Sotheby's on November 12, with an estimated sale price of £112,674 to £187,790.
  • The brooch was created for Napoleon I in about 1810 and features a 13.04-carat oval diamond surrounded by nearly one hundred mine-cut diamonds.
  • A hair ornament made with pearls from Cunegonde de Saxony, a cousin of Louis XVI King of France, will also be auctioned, estimated to sell for between £320,815 and £471,708.
  • A light pink diamond ring from the collection of Ottoman princess Neslishah Sultan is expected to fetch between £226,483 and £377,472.
  • Andres White Correal, head of noble jewels, highlighted the auction's prestigious provenance, stating it's a 'huge privilege' to offer such pieces to discerning collectors.
  • A previous sale included an 18th-century diamond necklace that sold for over £3 million, highlighting Sotheby's reputation for high-end auction sales.

Statistics:

  • Estimated sale price for the Napoleon Bonaparte diamond brooch: £112,674 to £187,790
  • Estimated sale price for the Cunegonde de Saxony hair ornament: £320,815 to £471,708
  • Estimated sale price for the light pink diamond ring from Neslishah Sultan's collection: £226,483 to £377,472
  • Total number of jewels in Neslishah Sultan's collection: 20
  • Sale date: November 12
  • Online bidding starts: October 24

Sources:

  • Sotheby's: "The Royal and Noble Jewels Sale"
  • Sotheby's: "A Diamond Brooch Owned by Napoleon Bonaparte"
  • Sotheby's: "A Hair Ornament Made with Pearls from Cunegonde de Saxony"
  • Sotheby's: "A Light Pink Diamond and Diamond Ring -- Formerly in the Collection of Princess Neslishah Sultan (1921-2012)"

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