[Rarebooks] FS: Duchess of Windsor Jewels at Auction

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

TITLE: “The Jewels of the late Duchess of Windsor sold for the benefit of
The Pasteur Institute”

The catalog to an auction held in Geneva by Sotheby's on April 2-3, 1987.

DISCUSSION: The catalog to one of the legendary jewelry auctions of the
20th century. On April 3, 1987, the BBC reported- "The late Duchess of
Windsor's jewellery has been sold for £31m ($50m) - six times the expected
figure during an auction in Switzerland. About 1,000 bidders and 300
members of the media crowded into a huge tent erected by Sotheby's next to
Lake Geneva for the two-day sale. In New York another 600 people were in
Sotheby's main salesroom to view slides of the jewels and to have their
bids relayed to Geneva. Many items went for up to 10 times their expected
price. The highest price was nearly £2m ($3.15m) paid for a 31-carat
diamond ring by a Japanese jeweller. A plume-shaped diamond brooch
designed in 1935 by the then-Prince of Wales for his future bride, was
sold for more than £400,000 ($566,000) to actress Elizabeth Taylor. Ms
Taylor, who was a close friend of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, said
she had often admired the brooch when the duchess wore it and bought it
for sentimental reasons. 'I loved it so much, I had to buy it. It's the
first important jewel I've ever bought myself,' Ms Taylor said of her
purchase. Another item, a sapphire pendant, was rumoured to have been
bought on behalf of fellow British actress, Joan Collins. Sotheby's
president John Marion said the prices reflected a "unique outpouring of
nostalgia". The Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, had to
abdicate to marry the twice-divorced American, Wallis Simpson. The duke
died in 1972 and the duchess in 1986. The couple had no children and in
her will the duchess left the proceeds of her jewellery collection to the
Pasteur Institute in Paris, known for its AIDS and cancer research."

DESCRIPTION: Hardcover. 8.5"x11", 306 lots, about 250 pages, color and
black & white illustrations, dust jacket.

CONDITION NOTES: Minor wear, but otherwise clean and nice, with a tight
binding.

PRICE: $175 -

SOME PICTURES=>
<http://www.joslinhall.com/newadd-10-21-13.html#anchor1>

 - - -


JOSLIN HALL RARE BOOKS, ABAA
Fine books of the 16th-20th centuries
on the decorative and fine arts & design

Post Office Box 239
Northampton, Massachusetts 01061 USA
telephone (413) 247-5080

Our WEBSITE-
<http://www.joslinhall.com>

Our LATEST ADDITIONS-
<http://www.joslinhall.com/newadd-today.html>

Our LATEST CATALOG-
Books on Furniture
<http://www.joslinhall.com/Catalog_343.pdf>

Our BLOG-
<http://foggygates.blogspot.com/>

On TWITTER-
<https://twitter.com/joslinhall>

Our EMAIL LIST-
<http://joslinhall.com/mailman/listinfo/jhrbnews_joslinhall.com>

 ~ ~ ~

TERMS:
All payments must be in U.S. funds and negotiable through a U.S. bank; We
accept checks, money orders, American Express, Visa and Mastercard. Books
may be reserved pending payment; Institutions may be billed; Standard
courtesies to institutions and the trade; Postage charges are $5.00 for
the first book, and $2.00 for each additional book. Shipments outside the
U.S. will be billed at cost. We accept returns if we are notified within
ten days of your receipt of the books-please ask for full instructions and
terms. Massachusetts residents must add 5% state sales tax.

As members of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America we are
committed to upholding high professional standards and making sure your
bookbuying experience is enjoyable.