V&A ACQUIRE RARE OTTOMAN EMPIRE JADE TANKARD

A RARE JADE TANKARD INLAID WITH GOLD AND STUDDED WITH RUBIES AND EMERALDS HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY THE V&A. THE TANKARD WAS ORIGINALLY MADE FOR AN OTTOMAN SULTAN IN THE LATE 16th CENTURY, IN THE IMPERIAL CAPITAL OF ISTANBUL. A LIMITED NUMBER OF THESE OBJECTS WERE PRODUCED AND THIS IS THE FIRST EXAMPLE TO ENTER A BRITISH NATIONAL COLLECTION. THE TANKARD WAS OFFERED TO THE V&A PARTLY THROUGH THE ACCEPTANCE IN LIEU (AIL) SCHEME. THE ART FUND GAVE £220,000 TOWARDS TO PURCHASE, WHICH INCLUDED A CONTRIBUTION FROM THE WOLFSON FOUNDATION. IT COST A TOTAL OF £477,500. THE TANKARD IS A SPECTACULAR EXAMPLE OF HOW THE OTTOMAN COURT BORROWED FORMS FROM EVERYDAY LIFE AND TURNED THEM INTO STUNNING LUXURY ITEMS. ITS SHAPE IS BASED ON THE INDIGENOUS DRINKING VESSELS USED IN A VARIETY OF BEVERAGES INCLUDING BOZA, THE FERMENTED MILLET DRINK STILL POPULAR IN ANATOLIA AND THE BALKANS. HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF WOOD OR LEATHER, IT IS MADE FROM JADE, WHICH HAD TO BE IMPORTED AT HIGH COST, OVER A GREAT DISTANCE FROM CENTRAL ASIA. BY THE 1560s, THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE WAS ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT POWERS, AND THE SULTANS WHO RULED IN THE FOLLOWING DECADES NO LONGER FELT THE NEED TO BORROW ARTISTIC IDEAS FROM THEIR RIVALS. INSTEAD, THEY CELEBRATED THEIR REGIONAL SUPREMACY BY ADOPTING LOCAL FORMS AND RECREATING THEM IN LUXURY MATERIALS FOR USE IN COURT. THIS PARTICULAR TANKARD HAS A DISTINCTIVE FORM, POT-BELLIED IN FRONT AND FLAT AT THE BACK, WHICH SUGGESTS IT HAD A LEATHER PROTOTYPE. IT IS DECORATED WITH A GOLD WIRE INLAY AND GEMSTONE SETTINGS, ARRANGED IN A PATTERN OF FLORAL SPRAYS, WITH A VASE MOTIF ON THE FRONT. IT WAS THE CUSTOM TO SET OBJECTS OF ALL KINDS WITH RUBIES AND OTHER GEMSTONES TO MARK THEM OUT AS COURT OBJECTS. AROUND 1800, THE TANKARD WAS FURTHER EMBELLISHED WITH GOLD FITTINGS IN THE ROCOCO STYLE, CONSISTING OF GEMSET GOLD MOUNTS AROUND THE FOOT, THE RIM AND THE LID AND THE DISTINCTIVE CURVED HANDLE. SIR MARK JONES, DIRECTOR OF THE V&A SAID: 'THIS TANKARD IS A SPLENDID EXAMPLE OF OTTOMAN ART. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE IT IN THE V&A OR ANY OTHER COLLECTION IN BRITAIN.'

JEWELRY ONCE BELONGING TO POPE PAUL VI TO BE AUCTIONED

IN THE MOST UNLIKELY LOCATION OF A NORTH CAROLINA JEWELRY STORE NEAR THE BEACH, A LAVISHLY JEWELED CROSS AND A RING ONCE OWNED BY POPE PAUL VI SIT UNDER LOCK AND KEY, AWAITING TRANSFER TO AN EVEN LESS FAMILIAR VENUE FOR SYMBOLS OF ROMAN CATHOLIC AUTHORITY: AN eBAY AUCTION. THE ITEMS HAVE TURNED UP AT A WILMINGTON STORE OWNED BY A SOUTHERN BAPTIST WITH A FLAIR FOR SELF-PROMOTION. IT'S THE LATEST STOP IN A STRANGE JOURNEY INVOLVING LUMINARIES RANGING FROM UN SECRETARY GENERAL U THANT TO EVEL KNIEVEL, AND WHICH BEGAN WITH PAUL VI's NOVEL DECISION TO ALLOW SOME OF HIS JEWELRY TO BE SOLD TO RAISE MONEY FOR CHARITY. ONE OF THE ITEMS IS A PECTORAL CROSS, GIVEN TO CLERGY WHO ATTAIN THE RANK OF BISHOP OR HIGHER TO SIGNIFY THEIR OFFICE. THE POPE'S DONATION WAS A TESTAMENT TO HIS WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD BY DE-EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF SUCH REGALIA. 'THIS IS NEW FOR ME', SAID JEWELRY STORE OWNER ALAN PERRY, WHO THINKS THE ITEMS MIGHT FETCH $800,000 TO $900,000 AT AUCTION. 'THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT UP ON eBAY. IT'S ONLY WORTH WHAT SOMEONE'S WILLING TO PAY FOR IT, AND eBAY MIGHT BA A GOOD MEASURE TO SEE IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED.' PERRY WAS ENLISTED BY A WIDOW IN WILMINGTON WHOSE HUSBAND HAD BOUGHT THE RING AND CROSS IN THE 1970s. A NEW YORK FIRM HAD TRIED TO SELL THE ITEMS FOR $1.25 MILLION, BUT HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND A BUYER. AFTER SERVING THE BOARD OF A LOCAL CHARITY WITH PERRY, THE WOMAN ASKED IF HE WOULD TRY HIS LUCK. IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT HIS STORE, PERRY's EMPORIUM, HAS MADE HEADLINES. PERRY APPEARED ON ABC's GOOD MORNING AMERICA AFTER HE VOWED LAST YEAR TO REFUND THE COST OF JEWELRY BOUGHT OVER A TWO-WEEK PERIOD IF A CITY IN THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS HAD THREE INCHES OF SNOW ON CHRISTMAS. IT DID, AND HE PAID OUT ROUGHLY $400,000 THAT WAS COVERED BY INSURANCE. HE PLANS TO PUT THE CROSS AND RING ON PUBLIC DISPLAY STARTING 14.APRIL THROUGH HOLY WEEK WITH AN ARMED GUARD. THE VATICAN CONFIRMED THAT THE ITEMS ARE THE 'PERSONAL' RING AND PECTORAL CROSS OF PAUL VI. EACH POPE'S OFFICIAL RING IS SMASHED WITH A HAMMER WHEN HE DIES. PAUL VI IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED, PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE ENDURING POPULARITY OF THE PONTIFFS WHOSE REIGNS BRACKETED HIS. HE SUCCEEDED THE CHARISMATIC JOHN XXIII, WHO CALLED THE HISTORIC SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL. AFTER PAUL's DEATH IN 1978, THE NEXT POPE DIED ROUGHLY A MONTH LATER, TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOHN PAUL II, REVERED BY CATHOLICS AND NON-CATHOLICS AROUND THE WORLD. THE FIRST PONTIFF TO REALLY TRAVEL THE GLOBE, PAUL VI DONATED THE RING AND CROSS DURING A 1965 VISIT TO THE UN. HE INTENDED THE ITEMS TO BE AUCTIONED AND THE PROCEEDS USED TO RELIEVE HUMAN SUFFERING. THEY WERE BOUGHT IN 1967 FOR $64,000 BY CHICAGO JEWELER HARRY LEVINSON, WITH THE MONEY BEING SPLIT AMONG FOUR UN AGENCIES. THE ITEMS CHANGED HANDS SEVERAL TIMES AFTER THAT, INCLUDING A PERIOD WHEN THEY WERE OWNED BY EVEL KNIEVEL, ACCORDING TO A 2004 BIOGRAPHY OF THE DAREDEVIL, WHICH REFEREED TO THE ITEMS AS KNIEVEL's 'MOST EXTRAVAGANT JEWELRY PURCHASE' IN AN INVENTORY THAT ALSO INCLUDED A 13 CARAT DIAMOND RING SHAPED LIKE A MOTORCYCLE. POPE PAUL VI ALSO DONATED HIS PAPAL TIARA, THE THREE-TIERED CROWN SYMBOLIZING THE POPE's AUTHORITY, AS A FUNDRAISING TOOL TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN AMERICA. IT REMAINS ON DISPLAY AT THE BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE, AND NONE OF HIS SUCCESSORS HAVE BEEN CROWNED WITH TIARAS.

BOUCHERON CIRQUE DU SOLEIL COLLECTION

PARISIAN LUXURY JEWELER BOUCHERON HAS RELEASED A STUNNING AND UNIQUE SERIES OF ONE OFF PIECES TO CELEBRATE THE 25th ANNIVERSARY OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL. THE SERIES FEATURES TWENTY DIFFERENT PIECES AND CELEBRATES TWENTY OF THE BEST SHOWS PUT ON BY CIRQUE DU SOLEIL AROUND THE WORLD. EACH PIECE IS DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT AND USES A WIDE VARIETY OF GEMSTONES.

BROOCH THE BELONGED TO QUEEN VICTORIA SELLS FOR £11,400

A GOLD, ENAMEL AND GARNET BODICE BROOCH FROM 1830 THAT BELONGED TO QUEEN VICTORIA MADE FOURTEEN TIMES ITS PRE-SALE ESTIMATE AT BONHAMS JEWELRY SALE THAT TOOK PLACE YESTERDAY IN KNIGHTSBRIDGE. WITH A PRE-SALE ESTIMATE OF £600–800, THE BROOCH SOLD FOR £11,400. THE FINELY DETAILED BROOCH IS EMBELLISHED WITH GREEN AND RED ENAMEL, SET WITH CABOCHON GARNETS THAT SUSPEND AN ELONGATED DROP OF A SIMILAR DESIGN. THE BROOCH ORIGINALLY BELONGED TO VICTORIA, DUCHESS OF KENT, WHO ON HER DEATH IN 1861 LEFT HER JEWELRY TO HER DAUGHTER, QUEEN VICTORIA. QUEEN VICTORIA SUBSEQUENTLY GAVE THE BROOCH TO HER THIRD DAUGHTER HELENA, PRINCESS CHRISTIAN OF SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, AS A PRESENT ON HER 24th BIRTHDAY IN 1870. THE REVERSE OF THE BROOCH HAS A SIMPLE, YET VERY PERSONAL ENGRAVING: 'BELONGED TO DEAR GRANDMAMMA V. FROM MAMA V.R. TO HELENA 25th MAY 1870'. ALTHOUGH PRINCESS HELENA MARRIED THE GERMAN PRINCE CHRISTIAN OF SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN IN 1866, THEY REMAINED IN BRITAIN CLOSE TO THE QUEEN, WHO LIKED TO HAVE HER DAUGHTERS NEARBY. HELENA WAS CONSIDERED THE MOST ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, CARRYING OUT AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAM OF ROYAL ENGAGEMENTS. SHE WAS ALSO A COMMITTED PATRON OF CHARITIES, AND WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE RED CROSS. SHE WAS ALSO THE ORIGINAL PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL SCHOOL OF NEEDLEWORK, AND PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL BRITISH NURSES' ASSOCIATION.

RUSSIAN ARTIST CREATES PEARL-ENCRUSTED PAINTING FOR THE QUEEN

A RUSSIAN ARTIST IN SERBIA HAS SPENT A SMALL PERSONAL FORTUNE OVER A THOUSAND PEARLS FOR A RELIGIOUS PAINTING HE HAS MADE FOR QUEEN ELIZABETH II. CLAD IN EMBROIDERED ROBES, ADAM AND EVE SIT IN THRONES ON A SUSPENDED GARDEN OF EDEN IN ANATOLY PASTYREV'S PAINTING, WHICH IS CROWNED BY A RUSSIAN ORTHODOX ICON AND PEARL-ENCRUSTED THROWOUT. 'THE BRITISH MONARCHY IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN THE BASTION OF MODERN CIVILIZATION WHICH HAS CENTURIES-OLD TRADITIONS COMING FROM CHRISTIANITY', PASTYREV TOLD REUTERS ON SUNDAY AT HIS HOME IN TAIGA FOREST ENCIRCLING KRASNOYARSK, SOME 3,300km EAST OF MOSCOW. PASTYREV NOW WANTS TO GIVE THE PAINTING, CALLED 'GLORIFICATION OF THE LORD', TO THE BRITISH MONARCH AS A TRIBUTE TO HER TITLE AS SUPREME GOVERNOR OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. THE BULLDOZER OPERATOR-TURNED-ARTIST SPENT MONTHS WORKING ON THE PAINTING, WHICH HAS 1,360 NATURAL PEARLS HE BOUGHT IN MOSCOW FOR A HANDSOME SUM OF 500,000 RUBLES (£10,947). 'THE BRITISH ROYAL COURT IS THE OLDEST, MOST POWERFUL AND MOST INFLUENTIAL', SAID PASTYREV, WHO WAS A FERVENT COMMUNIST IN SOVIET DAYS. HE IS NOW LOOKING FOR A WAY TO GIVE THE PAINTING, WHICH MEASURES ONE METER BY 1.4 METERS LONG AND IS PEARL-ENCRUSTED ALONG ITS OUTLINE, THROUGH-OUT THE GARDEN AND ON THE BUBBLE-LIKE CLOUDS, TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE. BUT PASTYREV WANTS TO WAIT WHILE THE 'HAT' SURROUNDING PRINCE WILLIAM'S MARRIAGE TO KATE MIDDLETON ON 29.APRIL DIES DOWN BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO GET HIS ARTWORK TO THE BRITISH MONARCH. 'I AM THRILLED BY THIS EVENT...I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR THE YOUNG PRINCE WILLIAM', HE SAID.

PIAGET LIMELIGHT COLLECTION 2011

AS PART OF THEIR LIMELIGHT COLLECTION PIAGET HAS RECENTLY RELEASED A STUNNING COLLECTION INSPIRED BY THE SIMPLE BEAUTY OF SPRING. THE CENTERPIECE OF THE COLLECTION IS A UNIQUE DIAMOND ENCRUSTED BIRD PERCHING ON A RUBELLITE GEM. THE COLLECTION ALSO FEATURES A BIRD PERCHED ON A WHITE GOLD SPRIG AND OTHER PIECES FEATURING PEARLS, RING DIAMONDS, EMERALDS AND PINK SAPPHIRES.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL RARE GALCONDA DIAMOND EAR-PENDANTS

A PAIR OF SPECTACULAR EAR-PENDANTS FEATURING THE WORLD'S RAREST DIAMONDS FROM THE LEGENDARY GOLCONDA MINES WILL BE OFFERED AT CHRISTIE'S HONG KONG MAGNIFICENT JEWELS SALE, WHICH WILL BE HELD ON 31.MAY AT THE HONG KONG CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE. THE IMPERIAL CUSHIONS, A PAIR OF D POTENTIALLY FLAWLESS GOLCONDA TYPE IIa DIAMONDS EAR-PENDANTS, IS ESTIMATED AT $7-$10 MILLION. THE OCCURRENCE OF SUCH A PAIR OF GALCONDA GEMSTONES, WITH A LIMPIDITY THAT IS PARTICULAR TO THE WORLD'S FINEST TYPE IIa DIAMONDS, IA A NATURAL MARVEL. AT 23.49 AND 23.11 CARATS EACH, THE PAIR IS OF EXCEPTIONAL CALIBER PROPORTIONS. WITH TYPE IIa DIAMONDS BEING LESS THAN 2% OF THE WORLD'S PRODUCTION, THE SUPERBLY MATCHED PAIR OF THE IMPERIAL CUSHIONS IS A UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF MAGNIFICENCE AND RARITY. WHILE THE PRESENT DIAMONDS DO NOT ACTUALLY COME WITH AN IMPERIAL PROVENANCE, THE QUALITY, WORKMANSHIP, SIZE, AND RARITY ARE CERTAINLY OF A CALIBER WORTHY OF A ROYAL COLLECTION.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL WORLD'S LARGEST PEARL

AUCTION HOUSE CHRISTIE'S WILL PUT ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST PEARLS ON THE BLOCK AT ITS DUBAI SPRING JEWELRY SALE ON 19.APRIL IN A NOSTALGIC REMINDER OF THE EMIRATE'S PEARL DIVING PAST. THE AUCTION HOUSE IS SHOWCASING AN ARRAY OF PEARLS, DIAMONDS, FINE GEMS AND GOLD JEWELRY AHEAD OF THE SALE. PEARLS ARE ESPECIALLY UNIQUE TO DUBAI, AS PEARL HUNTING WAS A MAJOR SOURCE OF INCOME A CENTURY AGO IN THE PORT CITY. CHRISTIE'S, WHO HAVE BEEN HOLDING REGULAR AUCTIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST SINCE 2006, SAW REGIONAL SALES REACH $51 MILLION LAST YEAR, UP FROM RECESSION LOWS OF $18-20 MILLION IN 2009. THE STUNNING PEARL IS DROP-SHAPED IN A SILVER AND GRAY SHADE AT ALMOST 60 CARATS. ONE OF TEH LARGEST NATURAL SALTWATER PEARLS RECORDED TO DATE, IT IS MOUNTED AS A PENDENT ON A DIAMOND-STUDDED CHAIN NECKLACE. CHRISTIE'S HAS ESTIMATED IT AT UP TO $250,000. 'THIS PART OF THE WORLD LIKES THINGS THAT ARE UNIQUE AND RARE', SAID DAVID WARREN, HEAD OF CHRISTIE'S MIDDLE EAST JEWELRY DEPARTMENT. CLOSE TO ONE HUNDRED JEWELRY LOTS, ESTIMATED AT A TOTAL $5-$6.5 MILLION, WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE AUCTION NEXT MONTH. ITEMS RANGE FROM AN ELEPHANT-SHAPED GEM RING WORTH $4,000-$6,000 TO A DIAMOND FLOWER NECKLACE WHICH CONVERTS INTO A TIARA WITH MATCHING EARRINGS WORTH $450,000-$550,000.

SOTHEBY'S TO SELL EMERALD AND DIAMOND TIARA

DAVID BENNETT, SOTHEBY'S CHAIRMAN OF JEWELRY FOR EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST, TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT SOTHEBY'S WILL SELL THE MOST VALUABLE EMERALD AND DIAMOND TIARA TO HAVE APPEARED AT AUCTION IN OVER 30 YEARS IN ITS SALE OF MAGNIFICENT AND NOBLE JEWELS IN GENEVA ON 17.MAY. ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR A RECORD £3.1-6.2 MILLION, THE HIGHLY IMPORTANT AND EXTREMELY RARE EMERALD AND DIAMOND TIARA IS COMPOSED OF 11 EXCEPTIONALLY RARE COLOMBIAN EMERALD PEAR-SHAPED DROPS WHICH WEIGH OVER 500 CARATS IN TOTAL, WHICH MAY WELL HAVE ORIGINALLY ADORNED THE NECK OF A MAHARAJAH. THE EMERALDS ARE ALSO BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN IN THE PERSONAL COLLECTION OF EMPRESS EUGENIE. THE SUPERB TIARA WAS COMMISSIONED, POSSIBLY FROM THE RENOWNED JEWELERS CHAUMET, BY GUIDO COUNT VON HENCKEL, FIRST PRINCE VON DONNERSMARCK FOR HIS SECOND WIFE PRINCESS KATHARINA. THE JEWELRY COLLECTION OF THE DONNERSCARCKS WAS KNOWN TO BE ON PAR WITH, OR EVEN TO HAVE EXCEEDED, THOSE OF MANY OF THE CROWNED HEADS OF EUROPE.

CHAUMET LE GRAND FRISSON

LUXURY JEWELER CHAUMET HAS RECENTLY RELEASED A STUNNING NEW COLLECTION FOR THE SUMMER NAMED LE GRAND FRISSON OR 'THE BIG SHIVER' AFTER THE GEOMETRIC SHAPES. THE COLLECTION FEATURES EARRINGS, RINGS, PENDANTS AND A CHOKER NECKLACE ALL IN ECLECTIC GEOMETRIC SHAPES, SET WITH BRIGHTLY COLOURED VIOLET SAPPHIRES, TSAVORITES, GARNETS AND TANZANITE MIXED WITH WHITE GOLD WITH DIAMONDS.

GEOFFREY PARKER $7.5 MILLION POKER SET

GEOFFREY PARKER, LONDON-BASED MAKER OF THE FINEST GAMES ON THE GLOBE, IS OFFERING THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE POKER SET FOR $7.5 MILLION. THE BESPOKE SET FOR THE ULTIMATE HIGH STAKES GAME COMES HOUSED IN A GENUINE ALLIGATOR SKIN CASE FINISHED IN THE COLOUR OF THE CLIENT'S CHOICE, FITTED WITH 18 CARAT WHITE GOLD COMBINATION LOCKS AND HARDWARE. THE CASE' SUEDE LINING FEATURES AN 18 CARAT AND DIAMOND FRAME TO HOLD 384 18 CARAT WHITE GOLD CHIPS, EACH INLAID ON BOTH SIDES IN SHAGREEN EMBOSSED WITH ITS VALUE, WHICH CAN BE IN ANY CURRENCY AND DENOMINATION THE CLIENT DESIRES. THE EDGE OF EACH CHIP IS SET WITH PRECIOUS STONES, WHITE DIAMONDS FOR THE WHITE CHIPS, SAPPHIRES FOR THE BLUE, RUBIES FOR THE RED, EMERALDS FOR THE GREEN AND CLACK DIAMONDS FOR THE BLACK. THE DEALER BUTTON WILL BE A LARGER 18 CARAT WHITE GOLD 'CHIP' SET WITH TWO ROWS OF DIAMONDS TO THE EDGE. THE SET WILL FEATURE AN ESTIMATED 22,364 STONES IN ALL, TOTALING 1,012 CARATS. FINALLY THERE ARE FOUR PLATINUM-PLATED DECKS OF POKER CARDS.

SOTHEBY'S TO SELL RARE BEJEWELED CANOPY

A STUNNING, RARELY SEEN BEJEWELED, NEARLY 150 YEAR OLD CANOPY FROM INDIA IS EXPECTED TO SELL FOR AS MUCH AS $5 MILLION WHEN IT GOES UNDER THE HAMMER NEXT MONTH, ACCORDING TO SOTHEBY'S. THE PEARL CANOPY OF BARODA WILL BE ACUCTIONED OFF ON 24.MARCH AS PART OF A LARGER AUCTION OF INDIAN AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN WORKS OF ART IN NEW YORK. IT INCLUDES OVER 500,000 PEARLS, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS DIAMONDS, SAPPHIRES, RUBIES AND EMERALDS SEWN ON SILK. FLORAL 'PERSIAN-STYLE' VINES MADE WITH COLOURED BEADS CIRCLE THE CANOPY. 'THE MAHARAJA WAS A GREAT PATRON OF THE ARTS', SAID MARY JO OTSEA, THE WORLDWIDE DIRECTOR OF SOTHEBY'S CARPET DEPARTMENT. 'THIS PIECE IS A CONTINUATION OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF INDIAN ART FROM THE MUGHAL PERIOD, WITH PERSIAN INFLUENCES.' THE CANOPY DATES FROM AROUND 1865, WHEN IT WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE MAHARAJA OF BARODA, IN THE PRESENT-DAY INDIAN STATE OF GUJARAT. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE PIECE WAS INTENDED TO BE DONATED AS A GIFT TO DECORATE THE TOMB OF THE PROPHET MOHAMED IN MEDINA, IN WHAT IS NOW SAUDI ARABIA. THE MAN WHO COMMISSIONED THE CANOPY, MAHARAJA KHANDE RAO GAEKWAR, WAS KNOWN TO BE PARTICULARLY FOND OF JEWELS. IN 1867, HE BOUGHT THE 'STAR OF THE SOUTH', ONE OF THE LARGEST DIAMONDS IN THE WORLD. THE CANOPY IS PART OF A SET WHICH INCLUDED FOUR LARGE RECTANGULAR JEWEL-ENCRUSTED CARPETS, OF WHICH ONLY ONE REMAINS. ONE OF THE RECTANGULAR CARPETS WAS SOLD AT AN AUCTION IN DOHA, QATAR IN MARCH 2009 FOR A RECORD $5.4 MILLION. ART HISTORIANS ARE STILL UNSURE EXACTLY HOW THE CARPET AND THE CANOPY WERE ARRANGED TOGETHER, OTSEA SAID. THE CANOPY HAD NOT BEEN SEEN FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS UNTIL IT WAS INCLUDED IN AN EXHIBIT AT THE VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM IN LONDON LAST YEAR. AT THE TIME THE CANOPY WAS CREATED THE NOMINALLY SOVEREIGN STATE OF BARODA WAS AMONG THE MOST PROSPEROUS IN BRITISH INDIA, WITH MUCH OF ITS INCOME COMING FROM COTTON, RICE AND SUGAR. BARODA STATE, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1721, EXISTED UNTIL IT WAS INCORPORATED INTO NEWLY INDEPENDENT INDIA IN 1947.

HARRY WINSTON PREMIER BIJOU

HARRY WINSTON HAS RECENTLY RELEASED A STUNNING NEW ELEGANT WATCH FOR WOMEN AS PART OF THEIR LATEST COLLECTION. THE PREMIER BIJOU HAS BEEN REINTERPRETED AND MASTER CRAFTED TO FOCUS ON THE NATURE OF HARRY WINSTON'S DESIGN AND THE CONSTANT CREATIVITY INVOLVED WITH ITS GEMSTONE EXPERTISE. THE WATCH HAS THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE DIAMONDS WHICH WEIGH A TOTAL OF TWO POINT FOUR CARATS WITH A DIAL CONSISTING OF SMALL UNIQUE DIAMONDS BECOMING LARGER AS THE CENTER IS REACHED

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL 10.09 CARAT FANCY VIVID DIAMOND

PERHAPS NO GREATER PHENOMENON HAS ELECTRIFIED THE GLOBAL JEWELRY MARKET IN THE PAST FEW YEARS THAN THE SKYROCKETING PRICES ACHIEVED FOR LARGE PINK DIAMONDS AT AUCTION. IN THE LAST 15 MONTHS, FOUR PINK DIAMONDS HAVE FETCHED MORE THAN 41 MILLION PER CARAT AT AUCTION, CHRISTIE'S LEADING THE WAY WITH THE VIVID PINK, A 5 CARAT CUSHION-CUT DIAMOND THAT SOLD FOR MORE THAN $2.1 MILLION PER CARAT AT CHRISTIE'S HONG KONG IN DECEMBER 2009, A RECORD PRICE PER CARAT FOR ANY DIAMOND SOLD AT AUCTION. NOW, CHRISTIE'S IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE IT WILL OFFER A 10.09 CARAT FANCY VIVID PURPLISH-PINK DIAMOND AS THE HIGHLIGHT OF ITS 12.APRIL MAGNIFICENT JEWELS SALE IN NEW YORK. THE EXCEPTIONAL DIAMOND, WITH ITS HIGHLY DESIRABLE CUSHION CUT, IS ESTIMATED AT $12-15 MILLION. 'COLLECTOR DEMAND FOR LARGE COLOURED DIAMONDS HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER, ESPECIALLY WHERE PINK DIAMONDS OF THIS SIZE AND QUALITY ARE CONCERNED. FEWER THAN 10% OF ALL PINK DIAMONDS MINED WEIGH MORE THAN 0.20 CARATS, AND EVEN FEWER EXHIBIT THE EXCEPTIONAL COLOUR SATURATION AND BRILLIANCE OF THIS EXCEPTIONAL GEM. IN ALL MY YEARS AT CHRISTIE'S, I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH A VIVID COLOUR IN A STONE OF THIS SIZE', SAID RAHUL KADAKIA, HEAD OF JEWELRY AT CHRISTIE'S NEW YORK. 'AT CHRISTIE'S NEW YORK THIS PAST DECEMBER, JEWELRY COLLECTORS COMPETED FOR A 6.89 CARAT FANCY VIVID PURPLISH-PINK DIAMOND, WHICH ULTIMATELY SOLD FOR $6.9 MILLION OF $1 MILLION PER CARAT. THIS LARGER STONE, WITH ITS RICHER, DEEPER HUE OF PINK AND ELECTRIFYING PURPLE TONE IS POSITIONED TO BECOME ONE OF THIS SEASON'S TOP SELLING DIAMONDS.'

LONDON'S NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM PRESENTS THE CORA SUN-DROP DIAMOND

THE CORA SUN-DROP DIAMOND IS AMONG THE MOST STUNNING DIAMONDS IN THE WORLD, SO RARE THAT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TRULY DETERMINE IT VALUE. WHICH IS WHY NO ONE HAS EVER TRIED. NO WONDER MODEL JERRY HALL WAS BEDAZZLED BY THE GEM TODAY AS IT ARRIVED AT LONDON'S NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM WHERE IT IS TO BE DISPLAYED IN 'THE VAULT'. AT 100 CARATS, THE CORA SUN-DROP IS ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF A WOMAN'S THUMB AND IS THE LARGEST VIVID YELLOW PEAR-SHAPED DIAMOND KNOWN IN THE WORLD. IT HAS BEEN LENT TO THE MUSEUM BY LEADING US DIAMOND MANUFACTURER CORA INTERNATIONAL FOR DISPLAY TO VISITORS FOR A LIMITED TIME FROM TOMORROW. THE UNUSUAL YELLOW COLOURED GEM STEMS FROM THE VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF NITROGEN WITHIN THE CARBON STRUCTURE OF THE STONE. DIAMONDS WITH A STRONG SATURATED COLOUR REPRESENT ONLY A TINY PERCENTAGE OF ALL NATURAL DIAMONDS, AND WHEN IT'S MORE THAN 100 CARATS, IT TAKES ON A HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE AS SO FEW VERY FEW EXIST. THE DIAMOND WILL BE IN GOOD COMPANY. 'THE VAULT' IS A PERMANENT GALLERY AT THE NATURAL MUSEUM DEDICATED TO SOME OF MOTHER NATURE'S MOST RARE, UNIQUE AND VALUABLE TREASURES THROUGH ITS COLLECTION OF THE FINEST GEMS, CRYSTALS, METALS AND METEORITES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. THESE INCLUDE THE DEVONSHIRE EMERALD, THE AURORA PYRAMID OF HOPE - A WORLD CLASS COLLECTION OF 296 NATURALLY COLOURED DIAMONDS - HERON-ALLEN'S CURSED AMETHYST AND THE NAKHALA, AN EXTREMELY RARE MARTIAN METEORITE.

BONHAMS TO SELL THREE IMAGES OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT

BONHAMS NEXT SALE OF ANTIQUITIES ON 13.APRIL INCLUDES THREE POWERFUL IMAGES OS ALEXANDER THE GREAT, A 2000 YEAR OLD RING BEARING HIS IMAGE AND TWO STUNNING SCULPTED HEADS FROM THE SAME ERA. MADELEINE PERRIDGE, HEAD OF ANTIQUITIES AT BONHAMS SAID; 'ALEXANDER THE GREAT SEEN AS THE GREATEST GENERAL AND RULER IN HISTORY. AFTER HIS DEATH HE WAS TREATED AS A DEMI-GOD, HIS IMAGE WAS EVERYWHERE AND HIS LEGENDARY EXPLOITS A POWERFUL PART OF GREEK AND ROMAN CULTURE. THE ROMAN EMPERORS EVEN ADOPTED HIM AS AN IDEAL AND REPRESENTED THEMSELVES IN HIS GUISE, A RING USED BY THE EMPEROR AUGUSTUS WAS ACTUALLY ADORNED WITH THE FIGURE OF ALEXANDER, POSSIBLY MUCH LIKE THE ONE WE ARE SELLING. THE THREE WORKS OF ART UP FOR AUCTION ARE PROOF OF THE POWER OF HIS IMAGE AND LEGEND THROUGHOUT THE HELLENISTIC AND ROMAN PERIODS, ENDURING EVEN IN THE PRESENT DAY.' THE FIRST SCULPTED HEAD OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT IS ROMAN FROM THE ANTONINE DYNASTY, CIRCA AD 138-161, IT IS OVER-LIFESIZE. HE IS DEPICTED WITH DISTINCTIVE WAVY HAIR FALLING AT HIS FURROWED BROW AND THE NAPE OF HIS NECK, HIS BROWS CARVED IN RELIEF WITH NOTCHED DETAILS, THE LIDDED EYES WITH INCISED IRISES AND DRILLED PUPILS, HIS SHAPELY LIPS ABOVE A STRONG CHIN. IT STANDS 12½in HIGH, AND IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £150,000-200,000. THE SECOND ALEXANDER IN THE SALE IS ONCE AGAIN A ROMAN MARBLE HEAD OF ALEXANDER HELIOS CIRCA 1st CENTURY BC-AD. THE THICK WAVY HAIR SECURED WITH A FILLET WITH TWO LINES OF DRILL HOLES FOR INSERTION OF A RADIATE HEADDRESS, THE HEAD TILTED SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT, WITH SEEP-SET ALMOND-SHAPED EYES AND FULL LIPS, 7¾in HIGH. IT IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £7,000-9,000. THE PIECE WAS ACQUIRED BY JOHN PETER DEERING, AN EMINENT ARCHITECT AND ROYAL ACADEMICIAN OF THE EARLY 19th CENTURY, PROBABLY ON A TRIP TO POMPEII CIRCA 1817. HE ALSO CO-WROTE WITH SIR WILLIAM GELL, AND ACCOUNT OF HIS TRIP TO POMPEII: 'THE TOPOGRAPHY, EDIFICES AND ORNAMENTS OF POMPEII'. THE THIRD ALEXANDER-LINKED OBJECT IN THE SALE IS A HELLENISTIC GOLD AND CARNELIAN INTAGLIO RING OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT CIRCA 2nd-1st CENTURY BC. A FLAT CIRCULAR STONE ENGRAVED WITH THE PROFILE HEAD OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT IN THE GUISE OF HERAKLES WEARING A LION'S SKIN, THE JAW PULLED UP OVER HIS HEAD WITH THE PAWS TIED AT THE NECK, SET IN THE ORIGINAL GOLD RING, THE HOOP FLARING AT THE BEZEL, IT IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £40,000-50,000.

MOUAWAD'S $3.8 MILLION 1001 NIGHTS DIAMOND PURSE

THE HOUSE OF MOUAWAD HAS RECENTLY RELEASED THE STUNNING MOUAWAD 1001 NIGHTS DIAMOND PURSE, THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE HANDBAG, VALUED AT A STAGGERING $3.8 MILLION. THE DAZZLING CREATION WAS DESIGNED BY ROBERT MOUAWAD AND HANDCRAFTED BY 10 ARTISANS IN OVER 8,800 HOURS. THE HEART-SHAPED PURSE INCORPORATES 18 CARAT GOLD AND 4,517 DIAMONDS, 105 YELLOW, 56 PINK AND 4,356 COLOURLESS, WITH A TOTAL WEIGHT OF 381.92 CARATS. THE PURSE WAS ON DISPLAY AT THE DOHA JEWELRY AND WATCH EXHIBITION OVER THE RECENT WEEKEND, AS OF YET THERE HAS BEEN NO CONFIRMATION IF ANYONE HAS PURCHASED IT. THE HANDBAG IS THE SECOND RECORD-BREAKING ATTEMPT FROM THE HOUSE OF MOUAWAD, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1890. IN 2003, GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS CERTIFIED, 'THE VERY SEXY FANTASY BRA', WHICH WAS PRODUCED IN COLLABORATION WITH VICTORIA'S SECRET, AS THE MOST EXPENSIVE BRA EVER MADE WITH A VALUE OF $1 MILLION.

SMITHSONIAN'S COOPER-HEWITT PRESENTS 'SET IN STYLE: THE JEWELRY OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS'

SMITHSONIAN'S COOPER-HEWITT, NATIONAL DESIGN MUSEUM PRESENTS 'SET IN STYLE: THE JEWELRY OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS'. THE EXHIBITION EXAMINES THE RENOWNED JEWELRY FIRM'S SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO JEWELRY DESIGN AND DESIGN INNOVATION, PARTICULARLY DURING THE 20th CENTURY. ORGANIZED BY SARAH COFFIN, CURATOR AND HEAD OF THE PRODUCT DESIGN AND DECORATIVE ART DEPARTMENT, THE EXHIBITION RUNS FROM 18.FEBRUARY THROUGH 5.JUNE. SINCE ITS OPENING ON THE PLACE VENDOME IN PARIS, VAN CLEEF & ARPELS HAS PLAYED A LEADING ROLE IN STYLE AND DESIGN INNOVATION. PIONEERING TECHNIQUES AND DESIGNS, COMBINED WITH AN ATTENTION TO CRAFTSMANSHIP, ARE AT THE CORE OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS' JEWELRY AND SMALL PRECIOUS OBJECTS. THE EXHIBITION FEATURES MORE THAN 350 WORKS, INCLUDING JEWELS, TIMEPIECES, FASHION ACCESSORIES AND OBJECTS D'ART BY VAN CLEEF & ARPELS, DRAWN FROM NUMEROUS PRIVATE COLLECTIONS AND INSTITUTIONS, AS WELL AS THE VAN CLEEF & ARPELS' MUSEUM COLLECTION. THE OBJECTS, MANY OF WHICH WERE CREATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR AMERICAN CLIENTELE, ARE SUPPLEMENTED WITH DESIGN DRAWINGS, COMMISSION BOOKS, FABRICATION CARDS AND IMAGERY FROM THE FIRM'S ARCHIVES.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.cooperhewitt.org

DE BEERS ATEA COLLECTION

DEBEERS HAS RECENTLY RELEASED A STUNNING NEW COLLECTION INSPIRED BY THE THEME OF NATURE AND THE EXQUISITE SHAPE OF CIRCLES. THE COLLECTION FEATURES THE LEGENDARY ATEA LARGE PENDENT AND THE ATEA SMALL PENDENT WITH TURNING DIAMONDS FOR A TOTAL WEIGHT OF 2.45 CARATS AND 1 CARAT RESPECTIVELY. THE COLLECTION IS COMPLETED BY THE ATEA BRACELET, THE ATEA RING, BROOCH AND SLEEPER EARRINGS INSPIRED BY A NEW DAY AND IS EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE FROM DE BEERS WORLDWIDE.

BONHAMS TO SELL JEWELRY FROM THE HELLEU COLLECTION

JEWELRY AND SILVER BELONGING TO THE DAUGHTER OF THE FAMOUS FRENCH SOCIETY PAINTER PAUL CESAR HELLEU, ONE OF THE MODELS FOR A CENTRAL CHARACTER IN MARCEL PROUST'S MONUMENTAL NOVEL 'IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME' (SOMETIMES KNOWN AS 'REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST'), IS TO BE AUCTIONED OFF AT BONHAMS IN EDINBURGH ON 2.MARCH. BORN IN PARIS IN 1904, PAULETTE HOWARD-JOHNSTON (nee HELLEU), WHO DIED IN 2009 AGED 104, WAS ONE OF THE 21st CENTURY'S LAST LINKS TO THE BELLE EPOQUE, THE WORLD OF PROUST'S NOVEL, WHICH ENDED ABRUPTLY ON THE BATTLEFIELDS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR. THE WRITER DREW ON HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH PAULETTE'S FATHER IN CREATING THE CHARACTER OF THE PAINTER ELSTIR WHOSE WORK PROVIDES A CONSTANT POINT OF REFERENCE AND REFLECTION THROUGHOUT HIS MULTI-VOLUME MASTERPIECE. PAUL CESAR HELLEU, PAINTED SOME OF THE MOST CELEBRATED WOMEN OF THE DAY INCLUDING CONSUELO VANDERBILT, THE DUCHESS OF MALBOROUGH. TWO OF THE DUCHESS'S GIFTS TO THE ARTIST, AN 18 CARAT CIGARETTE CASE, ESTIMATED AT £1,000-1,200, AND AN EARLY 20th CENTURY FRENCH POCKET WATCH, ESTIMATED AT £1,000-1,200) ARE FEATURED IN THE SALE. HELLEU'S PORTRAIT OF HIS WIFE, ALICE GUERIN, IS KNOWN TO READERS THE WORLD OVER AFTER IT APPEARED ON THE COVER OF TRACY CHEVALIER'S BEST SELLING NOVEL 'THE VIRGIN BLUE'. NEW YORKERS CAN STILL SEE HELLEU'S ASTROLOGICAL CEILING DECORATION IN GRAND CENTRAL STATION, PAINTED IN 1912. FROM A YOUNG AGE, PAULETTE WAS USED TO MIXING IN ARTISTIC AND HIGH SOCIETY CIRCLES. SINGER SARGENT, MANET, BOLDINI AND MONET WERE FAMILY FRIENDS AND IT WAS MONET WHO TOLD YOUNG PAULETTE, 'YOU PAINT LIKE A BIRD SINGS'. HALF THE YEAR WAS SPENT LIVING ON HER FATHER'S YACHT IN DEUVILLE, WHERE HE ENTERTAINED HIS WEALTHY CLIENTS. IN TOTAL, 50 ITEMS WHICH BELONGED TO HOWARD-JOHNSTON AND HER FATHER ARE FOR SALE INCLUDING A STUNNING ART DECO DIAMOND BROOCH, ESTIMATED AT £8,000-10,000, A CARTIER MULTI-GEM PARROT BROOCH, WHICH IS ALSO ESTIMATED AT £8,000-10,000, AND A GROUP OF PLATES BY ODIOT OF PARIS.