Rare Russian imperial jewels, including the diamonds of Catherine the Great and a Fabergé necklace made during the reign of Nicholas II, will be offered for sale at Sotheby's New York auction house.
The Artistic Luxury: Fabergé, Gold Boxes, Silver & Ceramics Art Sale will take place on June 17. Lots include some jewelry items confiscated by the Soviet government after the 1917 Revolution that had not been on public display for the past century.
Three lots - diamond-set silver floral dress ornaments by Louis David Duval of Geneva - belonged to Catherine the Great (1729 - 1796) and are estimated to fetch between $30,000 and $80,000. They were sold by Christie's on behalf of the People's Commissariat of Finance of the USSR in 1927 to a renowned dealer and are currently in a private European collection.
Also up for sale is a larger diamond and Ceylon sapphire ornament that belonged to Catherine's predecessor, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna (1741 - 1762). The estimated price is $40,000 - $60,000.
The auction's top lot is expected to be the imperial Fabergé necklace with diamonds and aquamarines created during the reign of Emperor Nicholas II (1868 - 1918), estimated at $400,000 - $600,000.
"It is difficult to overstate their rarity and historical importance," Sotheby's stated. "These jewels carry with them a fascinating window into the luxury and opulence of the Russian Imperial court."
Hélène Tarin, Editor-in-Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished
