£22,500 FOR A NECKLACE.

HIGH PRICES AT A JEWELLERY AUCTION. Christie's salerooms on May 1 resembled the interior of a jeweller's shop, for in glass cases glittered the handsome rings, bracelets, tiaras, and necklaces of the late Lady Henry Gordon-Lennox. Fashionably-dressed women crowded round the. gems with undisguised admiration and suppressed envy, rubbing shoulders the while with dealers, discoursing of flaws, weight, and purity. Agents with commissions to bid on behalf of their absent patrons completed a curiously-assorted gathering. At one o'clock the auctioneer began the sale "by order of the executors." The first twenty lots were comparatively unimportant, but as the more valuable articles were reached the bidding increased, and prices became high. A cat's-eye and diamond halfhoop bracelet, for which offers began at £60, was .sold for £450, and thenceforward the lots averaged nearer £600, than £400. The following high prices caitie in quick succession:—' •: Diamond bracelet with flower-pattern centre £66!) Three-row -hoop bracelet with 37 brilliants • 960 Pearl and diamond cluster earrings ... 560 Pino ruby and diamond ring, large oval ruby 1500 Seven/ diamond stars ... 840 Ruby and brilliant bracelet 1600 Tiara with 19 large brilliants 1400 The two best lots were reserved for the last. From hand to hand passed a tiara composed of nine large clusters of diamonds with drop-shaped pearls between. With many halts the bidding rose from £1400 to £5000. Finally the tiara was secured for £5700. The last lot was a pearl necklace, consisting of 287 matched and graded Oriental pearls, arranged in five rows, the net weight of the pearls alone being 3650 grains. From £5000 the price advanced with scarcely a pause to £20,000, a figure which was greeted with applause. After a little hesitation bidding again advanced by leaps of £500 to £22,500, for which" sum the necklace was knocked down to Mr. Drayson. This was the first notable jewel sale of the season, and prices ruled unusually high. Besides Lady Henry Gordon-Lennox's jewels others were sold at the same auction, the. total result of the day's sale being £58,293 2s 6d, of which the Gordon-Lennox collection realised £41,116 15s.