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Freeman’s | Hindman Auction to Spotlight Belle Epoque, Art Deco Jewels

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By Annie Davidson Watson | March 13, 2025

On March 20, Freeman’s | Hindman hosts its highly anticipated Important Jewelry sale in Chicago, featuring a vast selection of diamonds, designs from the Belle Epoque and art deco eras, and iconic pieces by Bulgari, Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, and more.

The auction also includes significant heirlooms from private collections, including that of the Stuyvesant Fish family, prominent New Yorkers descended from the colonial governor of New Amsterdam. Items such as their Burma sapphire ring and a French sapphire, diamond, and emerald bracelet offer collectors a taste of the grandeur of New York’s elite society in the late 19th century (fans of HBO’s The Gilded Age know socialite Mamie Fish, Stuyvesant’s wife, as one of the characters).

Another notable lot is a Belle Epoque frontispiece by Cartier (pictured at top) that was owned by Sarah Helen Frelinghuysen Davis McCawley (1856–1939), daughter of Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, a U.S. senator and secretary of state in the 1870s and 1880s. Capturing the opulence of the Gilded Age, this platinum piece with approximately 12.25 cts. t.w. old European and old mine cut diamonds, accented by rose-cut diamonds and white enamel, would typically be worn as a necklace, set on a black velvet ribbon, according to the auction house. It is expected to sell for $15,000 to $25,000.

Leading the Important Jewelry sale, with an estimate of $150,000–$200,000, is a platinum ring with an 11.97 ct. pear brilliant-cut diamond flanked by two trillion-cut diamonds of 2.8 cts. t.w. Other top-value lots (estimated over $100,000) include an Aletto Brothers ring with 12.45 cts. t.w. diamonds and an 8.88 ct. fancy yellow diamond ring.

“The first of our quarterly Important Jewelry auctions for 2025 is a gem,” said April Matteini, senior vice president and head of jewelry at the auction house, in a statement. “In addition to large diamonds, important sapphires, and emeralds, the sale includes fine antique pieces with exceptional provenance. It is a privilege to bring these pieces to market and tell their stories.”

Below, highlights from next week’s Freeman’s | Hindman auction.

diamond ring
Aletto Brothers ring in platinum with 9.01 ct. cushion modified brilliant-cut diamond and 1.71 ct. and 1.73 ct. half-moon-cut diamonds, estimate $100,000–$150,000
yellow diamond ring
Ring in platinum and 18k yellow gold with 8.88 ct. radiant-cut fancy yellow diamond and approximately 2 cts. t.w. bullet-cut diamonds, estimate $80,000–$120,000
diamond pearl earrings
Cartier art deco earrings in platinum with approximately 2.5 cts. t.w. old European and single-cut diamonds, pearls, and enamel, estimate $30,000–$50,000
sapphire ring
Ring in platinum with 3.25 ct. cushion-cut Burma sapphire and single-cut diamonds, from the Stuyvesant Fish family, estimate $10,000–$15,000
diamond bracelet
Early art deco bracelet with old European cut diamonds and round emeralds in platinum floral motif alternating with square step-cut sapphires and single-cut diamonds in gold-topped platinum, from the Stuyvesant Fish family, estimate $8,000-$10,000

(Photos courtesy of Freeman’s | Hindman)

Follow me on Instagram: @anniedavidsonwatson

By: Annie Davidson Watson

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