Hollywood legend Joan Crawford jewellery up for grabs

Unique jewellery items formerly in the collection of Hollywood legend Joan Crawford will be a major drawcard for Australian and international collectors at Sotheby’s Australia’s forthcoming jewel auction from 6pm Monday December 2 at 118-122 Queens Street, Woollahra in Sydney.

The pieces form part of a 235-lot sale of historic, modern and contemporary jewels that is expected to reach between $2.02 and $2.74 million.

One of the Joan Crawford items is a Raymond Yard gold and citrine necklace/brooch carrying an estimate of $48,000-$58,000.

Renowned for his art deco style, Yard catered to the most elite American families including the Rockefellers and Woolworths.

The necklace features a centred clip-brooch set with a rectangular modified brilliant-cut citrine weighing approximately 350.00 carats.

Crawford was one of the most successful and prominent Hollywood performers of her time and was voted by the American Film Institute as one of the top 10 greatest female stars in American cinema history.

She was best known for her Academy Award winning performance as Mildred in Mildred Pierce (1945). After her death, Crawford was immortalised by Faye Dunaway in the film, Mommie Dearest (1981).

Also featured in the sale is an extravagant fancy yellow diamond suite (lot 182) by Tiffany & Co. with an estimate of $45,000-65,000.

Of cluster design, the necklace features a natural vivid yellow cushion-shaped diamond weighs 1.66 carat within a surround of brilliant-cut colourless diamonds completed by a fine trace link chain, paired with natural fancy intense yellow diamond earrings, together weighing 1.61 carats.

Estimated at  $130,000-150,000, a contemporary diamond suite (lot 180) by Cartier is another highlight of the sale, encompassing a necklace with three rows of baton-shaped links and round brilliant-cut diamonds alternating between similarly set circular collets, and a matching five-row bracelet en suite.

Among the vintage Cartier pieces included is an exquisite 1930s emerald and diamond bracelet (lot 176 estimate $90,000-110,000), and an 18ct gold bracelet from 1971 (lot 164 estimate $35,000-40,000) featuring seven hammered-gold oval plaques alternating between Cartier’s signature ‘X’ shape links.

Founded in 1960 the house of Graff is known for handling diamonds of notable rarity and beauty.

An exceptional pair of fancy intense yellow diamond and golden south sea pearl drop earrings (lot 110 estimate $40,000-60,000) is a testament to the effortless elegance and timeless modernity to which Graff aspires.

Each earring features an articulated line of bezel-set natural fancy intense yellow oval and radiant-cut diamonds, surmounted by a pear-shaped diamond, which terminate on a diamond capped drop-shaped golden south sea cultured pearl.

Melbourne viewing 10am-5pm Friday to Sunday at Anzac House, 4 Collins Street, Melbourne.