Christie’s to auction Wallis Simpson’s Cartier tiger jewellery

by eyetee | September 16, 2014 3:23 pm

[1]Two pieces of tiger jewellery formerly owned by Wallis Simpson and given to singer Sarah Brightman will go on the Christie’s auction block in Geneva on Nov. 11.

The onyx, emerald, and diamond brooch and bracelet designed by Cartier are expected to fetch between $1.8 to $2.5 million US.

The jewellery was made in the 1950s and will be sold as one lot. The rarity of these pieces is enhanced by the story behind their ownership.

Edward VIII was king for less than a year when he abdicated in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson. Living in France, they amassed a collection of jewels that defined the style of the 1940s and 1950s.

In 1987, a total of seven Great Cats pieces by Cartier from Simpson’s collection were offered, including the brooch and bracelet that will be auctioned in Geneva. It was at the 1987 auction that Andrew Lloyd Webber bought the jewellery for his then-wife, Sarah Brightman. He presented the pieces to her to celebrate her success in ‘The Phantom of the Opera,’ which he wrote and in which she starred.

Brightman is now offering them for auction and will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale to The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, which supports the arts, music in schools, and the Architectural Heritage Fund. It also awards 30 performing arts scholarships annually.

Source URL: https://www.jewellerybusiness.com/news/christie-s-to-auction-wallis-simpson-s-cartier-tiger-jewellery/

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