SKINNER AUCTION BENEFITS RESEARCH
A recent jewelry auction at Skinner Inc. of Bolton, Mass., raised nearly $700,000 for Schepens Eye Research Institute in Boston.
The highlights were a Van Cleef & Arpels Art Deco diamond necklace that sold for $21,850 and a Marina B. ruby, diamond and emerald cuff bracelet that sold for $41,400.
Arts and Crafts jewelry, especially pieces by Edward Oakes, sold particularly well. An 18k gold gem-set pin brought $3,565, nearly triple its presale estimate. Several other pieces also sold well above their estimates.
Victorian jewelry was also popular at the sale. A 9-ct. alexandrite sold for $28,750, a diamond flower clip brooch brought $10,350 and a pair of tricolor gold bangles still in their original box sold for $4,312.
JADEITE SALE TOPS WORLD RECORD
A record $7.8 million of jadeite changed hands during an auction at Christie’s in Hong Kong in May. That was nearly double the $4 million total at last year’s jadeite auction.
The highlight was a jadeite bangle that sold for $1.56 million, well above its presale estimate of $900,000. A pair of “abacus seed” jadeite rings sold for $460,000, double their estimate and a world record for this type of jadeite ring.
11.75-CT. DIAMOND HIGHLIGHTS DOYLE SALE
An 11.75-ct. diamond engagement ring signed by Gattle highlighted the May auction of estate jewelry at William Doyle Galleries in New York, N.Y.
A telephone bidder bought the ring for $118,000, far above the presale estimate of $80,000-$90,000. Another Gattle piece, a bracelet with 41 diamonds totaling 17.75 cts., sold for $25,330 (presale estimate, $18,000-$25,000). A pair of Art Deco diamond and enamel dress clips by Cartier sold for $20,125, more than twice their presale estimate. All three lots were sold to benefit New York University.
Another highlight of the sale: Van Cleef & Arpels diamond earclips that sold for $18,400.
Doyle held two other auctions the same day. A rare coin sale realized $210,000. Two U.S. gold coins, including a $20 high-relief St. Gaudens coin and a $5 Turban Head coin from 1807, sold for a total of $20,700.
A sale of Russian silver and cloisonné enamel eggs also brought strong prices, says Doyle.