Fine eclectic jewels sparkle at auction
Author: Richard Brewster | Posted: 29th August, 2018
An eclectic range of fine jewels – a strong feature of the John Swanton collection – with a focus on enamels is a major highlight of Leonard Joel’s forthcoming jewellery auction from 6.30pm Monday September 3 at 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra.
Lot 105, an extremely rare Georgian hand painted miniature eye locket with a provenance that can be traced back to the Earl of Warwick, is typical of the fine quality of the collection.
The locket belonged to Sydney’s Anne Schofield Antiques and was purchased about 1970 from Christie’s of London.
An outstanding variety of antique and art deco jewellery typifies the remainder of the auction.
A rare goldfields brooch (lot 211) and a quirky diamond set jumping poodle mini fob watch and brooch (lot 209) are great examples of the one-off items to be found.
A gold pocket watch (lot 50) gifted from Australian opera diva Dame Nellie Melba to Italian-American opera director and impresario Frank Rigo with whom she worked closely for many years.
Other items of note include a Zambian emerald and diamond ring (lot 220) with a catalogue estimate of $40,000-$60,000. The emerald is 6.29 carats and the surrounding diamonds total 1.25 carats.
Some of the more unusual brooch items feature a ‘man in the moon’ pendant (lot 115), a Japanese Shakudo example(lot 116), an art nouveau tourmaline and peridot creation (lot 119), an antique enamel (lot 120) and a Victorian hair locket “eye” mourning brooch (lot 121).
