LADY HOUSTON'S JEWELS SOLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23201, 27 May 1937, Page 16

LADY HOUSTON'S JEWELS SOLD

CASKET OF FOUR GEMS BRINGS £17,510 In realising £17,510 at Christie's on May 3, the late Lady Houston's casket of four gems of intimate adornment quite fulfilled the expectations of the experts, who really formed the majority of the company present. Mr Gordon Hannen asked for an opening bid of £4OOO. and promptly received a nod of acquiescence from Mr S. H. Harris. At £6OOO M. Caracachian, of Paris, who made his debul recently at Christie's as an " unknown, entered the list—calling his bid aloud. From time to time it was seen that he hastily conferred with his French' partner. The result invariably was another advance. Meanwhile. Mr Harris went on nodding serenely. But at £9500 he ceased, and the name of the Paris jeweller was announced. The offer of this Houston emerald pendant caused me (Mr A C. R. Carter writes in the Daily Telegraph) to remember that sale in 1917. when a famous elder statesman put up his family jewels in order to support the war loan. Then a magnificent emerald

and brilliant necklace also fetched £9500. Some may possibly recall the sale, in 1902, of the Earl of Dudleys jewels, when a single pear-shaped pearl brought the record-breaking sum of £13,500, Next in importance to the emerald pendant was the superb sapphire, shimmering in a cluster of 14 diamonds. Belonging formerly to a Russian grand duchess, this dazzling pendant found a private collector keen to possess it. He had deputed Christie's veteran saleroom clerk, Mr Edward Smith, to bid for him, and at £4BOO he had the satisfaction of seeing his agent win it for The well-known Houston diamond collar in its heavy platinum setting went to Mr Newgrosch. of Cricklewood at £l3lO. and Mr Julius bought

the single-stone emerald ring at £I9OO. . Earlier in the sale a souvenir of the'.., Coronation of King Edward VlLand;' of Queen Alexandra appeared. This - was a diamond brooch designed as "alv fleur-de-lys. '"w-''i? Queen Alexandra's crown, it will be : '§ remembered, carried the famous Koh-:;'*■ i-Noor diamond, and around the were four cfosses-patee and four large's fleurs-de-lys. One of the-latter presented by the Queen to a great per-:; sonal friend, and it was offered as ; "the property of a lady of title." Mr Julius won it at £335. M