Senator's Jewels sell for over $500,000
October 14, 24
(IDEX Online) - A collection of jewelry owned by the late Senator Dianne Feinstein sold for over $500,000 in the Legacy of a Stateswoman auction at Bonhams in Los Angeles.
That's more than three-and-a-half times the pre-sale estimate. The entire sale, which also included furniture and design objects from her three homes, as well as a collection of American art, raised almost $1.9m.
Highlight of the jewelry collection was a platinum and diamond ring that sold for $108,450 (estimate $45,000 to $65,000). It features a 4.14-carat diamond of E color and VS2 clarity, flanked by tapered baguette diamonds.
A 14k gold and diamond California state flower brooch (estimate $600 to $800) sold for $19,200.
Feinstein (pictured), a Democrat, made history as the first woman to hold the position of US senator for California. She served from 1992 until her death last September, aged 90.
Her net worth was estimated at $70m, largely from her marriage to Richard Blum, a billionaire investment banker and financier who founded Blum Capital Partners and owned a vast portfolio of assets including Carlton Hotel Properties.
"Immense interest fuelled the sale which lasted nearly 12 hours, with a majority of lots selling well above estimate, and overall doubling the all-in estimate of the sale to achieve $1.85 million," Bonhams said.
"The auction set new records for Bonhams, boasting the highest number of registrations for a U.S. sale ever and for a global sale in the past 15 years."
Pic shows the late Senator Dianne Feinstein and (inset) her 4-cts engagement ring.