|
Described by British auction house Sotheby's as
"one of the most important royal jewelry collections ever to
come to auction," the seven pieces are part of an exhibition
entitled "Royal Jewels from the Bourbon Parma family" that also
includes other items from the storied dynasty's rich history.
The French queen's jewels on view include a 49-karat natural
pearl and diamond pendant, as well as necklaces, brooches, and
earrings valued in total at between $1.5 and 3 million.
The collection, which belongs to the Bourbon Parma family, also
includes a monogram ring with woven strands of Marie
Antoinette’s hair enclosed.
Edward Gibbs, Sotheby's chairman for the Middle East and India,
said the Middle East had become a highly lucrative market, with
a 62 percent increase in buyers over the past five years,
particularly younger customers.
"It is a two-way street. We are here both to sell art and also
to source it," said Gibbs. "It's both a regional hub and an
international center."
After Dubai, the jewelry will also be exhibited in several other
cities including London, New York and Hong Kong before going
under the hammer in Geneva in November. The tour is expected to
arouse the interest of potential wealthy buyers in the Gulf and
elsewhere ahead of the auction.
Marie-Antoinette, an Austrian archduchess by birth, was the wife
of King Louis XVI of France, of the Bourbon dynasty. Both were
executed by guillotine in 1793 after the French Revolution.
The queen's jewelry was wrapped up and smuggled out of France to
Vienna for safe-keeping during the Revolution and remained in
the Bourbon Parma family.
(Reporting by Nafisa Eltahir; Editing by Gareth Jones)
[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
 |
|
