JEWELS FOR WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 22, 25 July 1940, Page 17

JEWELS FOR WAR

A COSTLY NECKLACE j SALE AT CHRISTIES I (From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, July 2. "I cannot estimate its value, but it is the finest diamond necklace ever to pass through our hands. We are making a sale of it apart from any other lots —the second time only that we have done such a thing." The speaker was an official at Christies. This necklace was presented to the nation by a lady who insisted on anonymity. ■ It consisted of forty-two graduated diamonds in individual collets, each collet separated by small twin diamonds mounted transversely. The large centre diamond is connected to, those on either side by smaller circular diamonds, and supports twin chains, each composed of three large and four. smaller. circular ones. The day of the auction arrived, and' in the space of 4£ minutes, it becamethe property of Messrs, Jerwood and' Ward, of Hatton Garden. One of the underbidden was Mrs. Van der Elst. Crowds of society women mingled with' representatives of most of the leading diamond merchants to examine the necklace as it lay in a crimson leather, satin-lined case. Except for the Portland Vase this is the only occasion on which a. single item has been considered worth a sale of its own at Chi* is tics. Mr. Terence McKenna, the auctioneer, addressing the large crowd, said: "I am now going to offer- this magnificent diamond necklace so generously presented to the nation by a lady as a contribution to the cost of the war effort. I hope you will show you? appreciation of her gesture by bidding to the limit of your resources." . Asking for an opening big of £10,000, Mr. McKenna got it from many parts of the room. Then Mr. S. H. Harris called £20,000. Increases came in hundreds, and at £23,000 the voice of Mrs. Van der Elst was heard. She nodded another advance later, but the final contest lay between Mr. Harris and Mr. Ward. Mr. Ward stated that he could not disclose the ultimate destination of the necklace. It is evident that people are showing eagerness to buy diamonds at the moment, and crowds remained to inspect a wonderful array of jewels that will be auctioned in a few days' time. At a sale at Christies a few days previously Mr. R. Kleinmann gave £6800 for a diamond and emerald necklace belonging to Mrs. Tudor-Hart. From the same source came a pair of diamond earrings for which Messrs. Jerwood and Ward gave £900, and a ring, mounted with an octagonal emerald with three diamonds on each shoulder, was sold for £400. Catalogued as the property of a lady, a ring, mounted with a large oblong cushion-cut diamond, the shoulders set with small diamonds, changed hands at £2700. A collection of gold watches, rings, and other pieces of jewellery presented from various sources to H.M. Treasury as contributions towards the cost of the war effort, brought a total of £1158.