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The heirloom Airlie Tiara, Verdura Brooches, 20th-century Jewels and Cases and a Fabergé Paper Knife from the late Countess of Airlie are going on Auction at Lyon & Turnbull in London next week.
Thank You to Sarah Duncan and the team at Lyon & Turnbull for inviting us to view the Tiara, and to Sarah for speaking to us about the Jewels heading to Auction!
Link: https://royalwatcherblog.com/2025/10/11/jewels-of-the-countess-of-airlie-on-auction/
You can find us on social media as ‘The Royal Watcher’ [@saadsalman719 on Twitter and @the_royal_watcher on Instagram], as well as on royalwatcherblog.com, while Sam (https://thebeaumonde.org/) is @thebeaumonde.inc on Instagram.
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0:00
[Music] Hello everyone and welcome back to
0:06
another episode of the Royal Water podcast where Sam and I are joined by a very special guest today, Sarah Duncan
0:11
from Lion and Turnpool who's here to talk with us about the jewels of the countest early going on auction in
0:18
London later this month and we were very lucky to get a special look at them last
0:23
week and see them all in person. They are just such a magnificent collection. Thank you so much Sarah for joining us
0:28
today. It's a pleasure. I'm so glad you were able to come in and view them.
0:34
Yes, we were so lucky and thank you so much for laying them out. So, um I'll
0:39
just start with just a general overview of um the countest collection and the
0:44
next slide, Sam. Uh where we got to see everything laid out very nicely. Um it
0:52
is quite a varied collection and that was something one of the things we were discussing. There's the antique piece
0:58
with the heirloom tiara from the family, but there's also the brooches from
1:03
Verdura. There's um the cigarette cases and compacts and things from her own
1:09
family. So, it's a very interesting mix of different cultures and heritage coming together in this one single
1:15
collection that's coming on auction. It is. And in a way, it represents all of our collections when we're lucky
1:21
enough to have family who have bought well with jewelry over the years. So you can see that there's pieces coming from
1:27
her American heritage. You can see there's pieces that have come more from the Scottish side and the European
1:33
collections. So yes, like many of us, her collections uh of jewelry were very
1:39
varied. Um and it represents her own personal taste but also the the the sort
1:45
of legacy of her families. Right. And I think um in the next slide we can see exactly who she was.
1:53
So um as the lit countest has a very unique legacy in which she was um from a
2:00
very wealthy American family and I think she is really on the tail end of those dollar princesses that we think about
2:07
that um married into the British aristocracy and her um grandfather was the financial autocon and she married in
2:16
1952 the of the earl
2:21
that's right So two very important, very powerful, wellestablished families
2:27
joining together as was, you know, not uncommon at the time. The Ales um were
2:33
hereditary Earls. They've held land since at least the 15th century. Um
2:40
early castle dates back to 1432. So a very very wellestablished Scottish
2:45
and British family. Um they began their their ascendancy with their support of
2:51
Robert the Bruce. So a family that has definitely brought literally centuries
2:56
and centuries of support to the British monarchy and continues to do so today.
3:01
And then yes, as you say, um Virginia Oglevie came from um two very
3:08
substantial American families. And you know that real sort of epitome of the
3:13
last sort of years of decadence in the early 20th century with her mother running around France becoming friends
3:19
with you know earls and dukes and all the sort of like of European society and
3:25
and yes she was that sort of last generation that we think of to come in
3:30
and marry into British royal families and aristoc aristocracy and um it's a
3:36
it's a great sort of legacy to come together. Exactly. And I think one of the things
3:41
that we were discussing when we met you was this picture taken at her debut ball which was the same one at which um
3:49
Jackie Kennedy and Lee Ratzo they were also came out of the same ball. So she was very much at the heart of American
3:55
society as well. Absolutely. What a lovely connection to have. It makes me laugh because my
4:00
grandmother was in New York around the same time and my mother was you know a few years behind and I just keep
4:06
thinking do you think they were at that ball? I don't know. I don't think so.
4:12
But yeah, I know it's so special to think of all the Yeah, a lovely time to have lived through in such an age of um you know
4:20
those last sort of glamorous and then in the next slide we'll see the Erland countest really continue that
4:26
family tradition of being in the royal household and being part of the extended
4:32
u royal circle uh as their ancestors had done for many years. So, the late
4:37
countest was a lady of the bed chamber to the late queen from 1973 until 2022.
4:43
And right here we see her um behind the now king uh on the queen's last visit to
4:49
Scotland just a few weeks before she passed away. And behind her is um the late Earl who was the Lord Chamberlain
4:56
of the household from 1984 to 1997. So they were both very much a part of the royal family's um the royal household
5:03
but also the Earl's brother was married to the queen's cousin Princess Alexandra. So they were in sense
5:09
extended family members. Indeed. Indeed. And I um um we know that
5:15
uh Virginia's husband David was um childhood friends with Elizabeth II. So
5:21
they literally grew up together and and were friends for for the whole of their lives.
5:27
Exactly. you know, it was so there were such uh long connections and I think it's so touching that they both were
5:33
able to be together in service and then be there for the late queen until really the end of her life and both only passed
5:39
away since then. They they died within, you know, a very short time of each other, you know, 70
5:45
years of marriage. It was very clearly that they had a a very, you know, substantial connection and a very
5:53
monumental marriage that that helped and benefited the whole nation with the service and the work that they did.
5:58
Exactly. It's very touching to see that. So I think in the next slide let's come to the I think highlight of the sale
6:06
which is the magnificent family tiara and it's one of those pieces that I had
6:11
been researching for I think almost eight years now and I've initially published my article in 2019 but since
6:18
then it's been updating but this is very special and can you tell us what you've been able to find out more about the
6:24
history and where it was made and the dates around that? Sure. So, first off, thank you for your
6:30
article because I I'm not ashamed to admit that we used it here at Lion and Turble doing research as well. So, we're
6:36
very grateful for you and all your work that you did. Um, and it was it was useful. We're always doing a lot of
6:43
different research um trying to bring as much context and history to the pieces that we can. So, this particular tiara
6:52
we believe to have been made by GD. Um, Gar was the crown jewelers from 1843
7:01
until 2027. The box that it comes in, which you have
7:06
the exclusive to see. Actually, I have to say we haven't we haven't brought it out very often, but I'm delighted to do
7:12
so for you, lists R and S Gard and Co. in the um in the lid. And that was the
7:18
name they traded it under from 1843 to 1909.
7:23
Stylistically, in terms of the workmanship and the craftsmanship, I'm referring to this as late 19th century.
7:30
So, the last 20 years or so of the 1900s, it could extend into 1901,
7:37
1902, 1903. There was of course coronations around that time and a huge amount of tiaras were being made. Now,
7:43
frustratingly, and it reflects more widely about the way we've always um
7:49
sort of historically treated the jewelry discipline, there is not a lot of records out there. Um there's company
7:57
that um was a workshop for Gar that is still going and has great archives.
8:04
Those archives have been searched with no avail. Um, I also went to access the
8:10
Gerard archives, um, which are held by the BNA. Um, and unfortunately, we
8:15
couldn't come up with any designed drawings or sketchbooks or anything like that relating to this tiara either.
8:23
There's a lot for silver, which is considered a more academic subject, but historically, jewelry has not been
8:28
treated with the due diligence it deserves and the and the respect it deserves, in my opinion. I used to joke
8:35
when I started in this business that we knew more about ancient Athenian potters than we do about 19th century Italian
8:41
jewelers. Um, so there is some mystery around when exactly it was made and who
8:48
commissioned it. So we've dated it to the last 20 years of the 1800s.
8:53
Wow. Quite a journey you've been on to try to really locate the source of this. But it is I think there's so many places
9:00
where there's such a gap in scholarship and at some point it you're very lucky
9:05
to even find a drawing or even some mention of somewhere. So for a lot of
9:10
the jewelry that I research as well it's really just tracking it down an old pictures and mentioned somewhere but
9:16
without that it's very difficult to track down an exact uh point where it was commissioned or made or gifted.
9:24
Yes. So, um, this tiara has had really quite a long record in royal service
9:30
because it was earlier worn by Mabel, the grandmother-in-law of Countest
9:36
Virginia, and she was a lady in waiting to first Queen Alexandra and then Queen Mary until almost the duration of the
9:44
first half of the 20th century. So, it was worn so often and at so many royal
9:50
occasions before it was worn by for almost 50 years by the late countest. So it has really had such a record in world
9:57
service and one of the things that you mentioned to us was that this was actually kept at Buckingham Palace and it came to you straight from the palace
10:03
which I think is very special. Yes, it it came from Buckingham Palace. It left Buckingham Palace to come to
10:10
auction which I think is wonderful. Um, and you're right again, not often that
10:15
you see a tiara that's been used in such close proximity to not one but two
10:21
British monarchs, two queens. And again, countest um, the countest of able of
10:27
Mabel, the Countess of Aly was friends, personal friends with Queen Mary. So,
10:32
you know, being given that role as Lady of the Bener was very important to her in her life. she was widowed and and it
10:39
was a it was a sort of you know continuation of her life now that she was a widow and it was a important role
10:45
for her to take on and she did so uh as you say very uh very dedicated and of
10:51
course Virginia taking on the same exact role as her uh grandmother-in-law is
10:58
just a very special full circle moment for the early family
11:03
exactly know and it's amazing that the were in such close proximity. And then
11:09
this is really the main family tiara we've seen. So the fact it was used from
11:14
all this time is um cuz a lot of the tiaras especially of older Socratic
11:19
families, they're locked away in boxes and and safes for decades on end. So the
11:25
fact that this was used so regularly, that's what makes it such an extraordinary piece. I've been sort of jokingly referring to
11:33
it as a working tiara. Um when it came to us uh as you say it was stored at
11:39
Buckingham Palace. Um it came to us and it was uh full of multiple multiple
11:47
layers of velvet ribbon to support it to make it more comfortable to be worn. It had bobby pins matching her hair color
11:54
in the box and um attached to to the ends of the the tiara frame. There was a
12:01
lot of residue from hairspray and things like that on it. Um, so it was wonderful
12:07
to see a tiara that was being used, a working tiara as it were. I have, of
12:13
course, had it professionally cleaned um in the interim, so it's it's looking a
12:18
little bit sharper now, but it was it was lovely to see that that tangible connection to what is a very busy court.
12:26
Elizabeth's court was one which was very dedicated to events and activities and
12:33
and she was intrinsic in all of those. She was always present there supporting
12:39
the queen uh attending gala dinners, state openings of parliament, overseas
12:45
visits and and she needed the jewels to match. So um the countest really wore this
12:50
tiara all the time um and paired Jushi with the pearl choker and earrings. So
12:56
they were part of those working jewels and uh like you're saying she was part of I believe this was taken at a guild
13:02
hall banquet for the king and queen of Spain in 1985. So they were a part of kind of the royal
13:10
circle and they attended alongside the queen. She is often spotted at back of state banquetss on overseas visits and
13:17
often at the state opening of parliament which was in the next slide you can see her often there alongside the queen and
13:23
she was I believe um I kind of classified as the duchess of uh Grafton
13:28
she was the head lady in waiting she was the mistress of the robes but the countest was definitely among the second
13:34
tier who was always there among the uh top more senior of the ladies in waiting so she is present throughout the decades
13:41
at all these different state occasions. Indeed, very omnipresent as you say and it shows how much they must have kind of
13:49
all relied on each other and trusted each other and worked so closely together for for a very long time. They
13:56
uh you know the counter severely was lady of the bed chamber for a substantial amount of time her her whole
14:02
sort of working life as it were and it it just goes to show how much they must have relied on each other.
14:09
Exactly. know it. And that kind of long-standing friendship is what makes these jewels especially u so interesting
14:17
for us to see that they were a part of that relationship and that working relationship in addition to the close
14:23
friendship. Yes indeed. And it's so lovely to see that she kind of turned to the same
14:29
pieces again and again to to create that that noble presence to create that
14:35
ambiance of her of her position and and to just show off how great these jewels
14:41
look. She did wear white a lot which I think is lovely and the the beautiful luster of the pearls complement um the
14:49
necklace, the tiara, the dresses together. They look they look quite striking.
14:55
Yes. And uh speaking of the necklace that I think is one of those things that she wore so often and I believe the
15:02
central clasp uh is a 18th century brooch that mid 1800s mid 1800s. Yeah. Um so a
15:12
beautiful lovely old cut old European cut diamonds in there. And you can see
15:18
um when you turn it over it is detachable and the family did provide the brooch fitting. So, a wonderful
15:25
Victorian mid um mid to early Victorian example that has multiple lives and it
15:31
was obviously rerungrung to be worn as a choker. I will say the choker is quite
15:36
petite. She obviously had a very slender neck um and it fitted her beautifully.
15:42
It doesn't fit many people, I have to say. For her, she carried it beautifully. No, I remember when you
15:48
tried it out, it it really made the uh choker come to life because seeing it um just in your hands or just laid out, it
15:56
looked quite small, but I remember when you tried on, it really made it feel like it was such a a really grand and
16:02
stunning jewel as overall. Yes, chokers became very popular in the
16:07
early 1900s. Um I think it was um was it Princess Alexandra had a little scar on her neck
16:15
and to cover that really began the fashion. Exactly. Exactly. Now this because the
16:21
pearls we know to be cultured in this one is slightly later than that time period but that started the fashion and
16:27
it continued. Um we can all think back to sort of the 1980s. Princess Diana
16:32
would wear chokers like this. Um, and the the trend has never really gone out of fashion in many regards. I will say
16:39
wearing it, and you're kind to to mention that it looked nice on, um, it it it does help one's posture. You do
16:46
stand a little bit a little bit taller wearing it. It's a it's a lovely thing like a tiara. It helps your posture. Um,
16:54
I can imagine. Yes, it's it's a nice thing to have. And these earrings, oh, I love these
16:59
earrings so much. They were so stunning. Uh, and just
17:04
being able to I love the versatility of them and how much she used them overall.
17:11
Yes. So, these are set with MBE pearls. These are probably mid 20th century. Frustratingly, there's no makers marks
17:18
or assay marks of any sort on them, but the workmanship on these is fantastically gorgeous. Um, they are
17:26
sort of stylized wisteria to me in my eye, but although a botist I probably would put me wrong on that, but I I I
17:32
stand to be corrected. But they're detachable. And you can see in the previous slide, she was just wearing um
17:39
the tops of them. They're clips as well. They're not for pierced ears. So depending upon how one styles one's hair
17:46
and one's outfit, you can um you can add on the bottom or just wear the clips.
17:52
But again, a beautiful example of just the pinnacle of 20th century workmanship
17:58
on these diamond and mauve pearl earrings, of course. And um before we move on to
18:03
the next um other jewels, I do want to ask a question because you did tell us that you were given kind of a selection
18:09
of jewels from the family and they decided to retain quite a few pieces. But I'm wondering the lady in waiting
18:15
badge um on the pink ribbon that the countest is wearing. Um, was it one of the pieces that you were able to see in
18:22
person or was it something that they just decided to keep overall? Sadly, that one did not come to me. No,
18:29
I haven't been able to view that one in person because I've heard those are really exquisite and they're made out of
18:34
diamonds as well. So, yeah. No, they're lovely, but no, this one didn't come to us. Um, the family
18:40
did retain a few things from the collection, rightly so. It's nice to have those um those memories, some of
18:46
which were sentimental. So very lovely and it's important to have that.
18:51
Exactly. And speaking of sentimental jewels, we can go on to the next slide where there are really two exquisite
18:58
brooches by Verdura and um you were able to find in your research uh a connection
19:05
that the late captus was one of very close to Vera himself and was one of the
19:10
few people allowed to watch him work which u is so makes it such an
19:16
extraordinary link. So, two of I think the most charming and endearing lots in the whole auction are these two animal
19:23
brooches which were made by Vidora. These are from Virginia Auggle's personal collection. What I think is so
19:32
lovely is that actually Virginia Aggov knew Flukco de Vadora. They were friends
19:39
um through her mother from what I understand. But um
19:44
uh Ottocon's daughters, Margaret and Ma, who were known as Nin and Momo, um were
19:51
sort of, you know, those glamorous Americans traveling around Europe in the 1920s.
19:57
And in the summer of 1923, they found themselves in Venice. And who else was
20:03
in Venice but Duke Fugo de Badora. Um so we we understand that they became
20:09
friends at that time and continued a friendship for for decades to to come.
20:14
Um Vidora obviously relocated to New York in in the subsequent years uh
20:20
setting up his workshop and his business there. And we know through um an account
20:26
in the book written by Vidora that there was one young woman who was
20:33
allowed to come and visit him and watch him work. And it was Virginia Aguy. Well, Virginia Ryan as she was then. And
20:40
what I thought was so for me personally as a as a jewelry historian, as someone who trained as an archaeologist, and I'm
20:46
always out trying to discover, you know, lost facts and things like that. But I was sitting at home reading the Bedora
20:52
book because I knew our unicorn was illustrated in there. And I have to say, I'm I'm glad I probably had a cup of tea
20:58
or something. was a bit switched on and not too groggy because um opposite the
21:03
page where the unicorn is illustrated, there's a firsthand account of of a girl
21:09
who who knew Vidora and you might not catch it because they use an
21:14
abbreviation of her nickname. Her her nickname was Jinny. They use Jyn and they use her maiden name Ryan. So Nin
21:23
Ryan's daughter Jyn had special permission to visit Fukco on her way home after school and was one of the few
21:30
people who was allowed to watch him work. And Bedora was very private. He didn't like people coming in um and
21:36
watching him work, visiting his ailier. He he very famously would shout out, "Tell him I'm dead if they, you know,
21:42
someone showed up unannounced." Which is I have to say a line I've been known to use myself. Uh I didn't know it was a
21:47
Vidora line, I have to say. Um but he he let this young girl his is you know his
21:54
his old friend's daughter into his workshop and um she describes in the
21:59
book watching him work with Barack pearls because Barack pearls forms such a a a notable amount of Vidora's
22:07
creation particularly for brooes and she described how he would put the physical
22:12
pearl that he wanted to use in the jewel on a piece of paper and then very quickly trace around it the animal that
22:19
he wanted to create. Um, and then here we have lot number two in the sale is a
22:25
dove with a barack pearl torso. So, how wonderful for her to been able to watch
22:32
him create things and then for us to be able to to offer one of her own examples
22:38
of of that creation in this auction. And I think we're going to go to the next slide uh for this one and talk about
22:46
this extraordinary uh paper knife with a fabric handle which you said originally
22:52
came from a lady's parasol. So it was a cane. Yes, a parasol or a cane. Um and it was adapted. Um and
23:00
what's really beautiful about this one is the way it's been decorated. Um, if
23:07
you look very closely, it has very realistically modeled clovers all over it. Um, so a
23:16
clover being a symbol of good luck. And I believe it's both three and fourleaf clovers on there, which is which is very
23:21
much so charming. Um, and what I personally think is is so nice about
23:27
this one is the connection. So this was made um by the uh the workmaster um
23:36
we've dated it to approximately 1900. That workmaster went on to create the um
23:45
the 1902 imperial egg which was gifted to the zar and that was called the
23:51
clover egg. So, it was covered in almost identically worked clover, some of which
23:58
were set with diamonds. Um, and it is an incredible imperial egg. Very, very
24:04
beautiful. Um, so we're we're it's a lovely connection to see that same
24:10
iconography continued again here in in a utilitarian object. Um yeah, Michael
24:18
Persian was the uh workmaster for Fabraier and he very very sadly died quite young um in 1903. So the the egg
24:27
that he made, the clover egg in 1902 was one of his last creations. Um so this would assumingly be a contemporary
24:34
example. Oh wow. And is there any provenence of how it came into the early collection?
24:41
uh because Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary were both great patrons of Faber and they gifted a lot of pieces to their
24:47
friends and their u close relatives. So I wonder if it may come from that or there's um no kind of paper trail to
24:54
back that up. There's no paper trail. I will say that this one does not have London marks on
24:59
it. Fabraier in London was a a favorite of of the British aristocracy and of
25:04
course the queen. Um and Fabraier items in London were particularly bought um
25:09
with the deliberate purpose of being gifts. So one would go there looking for gifts. Um which is a lovely a lovely
25:16
gift to receive and to give. Um but in this instance there are only Russian
25:22
marks on it which means that it could possibly have come straight from Russia. Um but we we don't know exactly how it
25:30
came to find its way to uh to London. No, it's very extraordinary. And I think
25:36
we can move on to the next slide which has the vanity cases and cigarette cases
25:42
um which are such passing examples. There's and the art deco one is definitely my favorite and I believe
25:48
that came from Virginia's grandmother. Yes. So you have the VCA um long one in
25:56
that traditional basket weave design. Now that was made by VCA New York. But the earlier examples um we have the
26:02
enameled Cartier case which is about 1925 and the art deco one which is onyx. So
26:11
carved onyx two pieces of carved onyx forming a lid in the base and having the
26:16
monogram for her grandmother which is AKW for of course um Adele Wolf Khan. Um
26:26
and she was uh Ottocon's wife and Ottocon was you know such a massive New
26:32
York financiier the pinnacle of New York society a great patron of the arts
26:37
director of the uh Metropolitan Opera Association Manhattan School of Music an
26:42
incredibly um phil philanthropically dedicated woman and
26:49
having something that would have been such a personal item to her. This is the 1920s where all of a sudden women are
26:58
becoming socially it's becoming socially acceptable for women to not only wear
27:03
makeup but to be seen wearing makeup. Then these items the these cases were
27:09
the sort of thing that one would very obviously put down on the table. You weren't squirreling these away in your
27:16
bag. you were bringing these out, putting them on the table to be seen and admired by your fellow diners when one
27:22
was out in society. Um, and the the onyx case opens up. It has two little
27:28
compartments inside, probably for lipstick and rouge. Um, and the
27:34
condition on it is just wonderful. It's just such a tactile, beautiful item.
27:41
It was exquisite and one of those things that when I held it, I you really feel the history coming from it. And but the
27:49
like you were saying, it's such an intimate piece of someone's wardrobe and being something that they would have
27:55
used every day. So to be a part of that and have something that's so exquisite, that was extraordinary
28:01
and something that has such a a tactile beauty to it. It's not a huge object,
28:06
you know. Um, it's only sort of seven cm wide, so it fits very nicely in the palm
28:11
of one hand and and has a real tactile open close. I don't know, there's
28:18
something very engaging about just handling it. Yes. No, it's beautiful. And then uh we
28:24
go to the um next slide where we see a selection of the other jewels from the late Countest. And I wanted to know kind
28:31
of about your creative process about why you chose kind of these particular jewels in general because the estimates
28:37
for them aren't anywhere near the tiara and they are exquisite pieces but there must have been quite a lot of
28:43
substantial jewels in the collection. So why these pieces in particular? So I think for me it was about
28:49
representing her as a woman as a whole. Um everyone who knew her will tell you
28:54
that she actually loved a bit of fun jewelry. She was a particular fan of Kenneth Lane costume jewelry. Um, and
29:00
although we don't sell costume jewelry, I didn't, you know, so we wanted to find something that was a bit more fun. Um,
29:07
and there was some, you know, some some real interesting items. The shell necklace was just so so bizarre to me. I
29:15
mean, I just love it. It's so It is, you know, it's 18 karat gold. It's shells. And then of course when we discovered
29:21
the the shell compact which the family believed to be by Vora um it all made
29:26
sense. This all came together you know we have pictures you you've found pictures of her in the Bahamas you know so she was a woman who who liked a bit
29:33
of sunshine like we all do and I just love this idea of you know these fun not
29:38
ostentatious jewels not kept at Buckingham Palace but just um you know very engaging. The shell necklace has an
29:45
estimate of 100 to200 pounds. So, you know, not not not unobtainable in price.
29:51
And then the bees, so charming, so tactile, so wellade. Um, and then of
29:56
course the little tiny this is a modern fabra piece, but just a little tiny thing that um, you know, just represents
30:03
the sort of everyday jewels as it were that we all have sort of things like this, but um, nice to represent her own
30:10
creativity, her own personal style. Yeah, it like you're saying it's a very
30:17
important to and aside all of the important the tiara and the other big jewels and especially the pieces
30:23
representing family. It's really nice to see um something that represents her as an individual and not something burdened
30:30
by family history and the tradition of her role and her position. Exactly. We're all human. Even though,
30:36
you know, we go to we go to work, we do one job, we go home, we put on a different uh a different hat as it were,
30:42
different jewels. No. And it's nice to see that like you were seeing the pictures of her in the
30:47
Bahamas and everything was uh very different. Very different. Yeah. Nice to see
30:52
people, you know, enjoying life and living it. Yes. And I think um now we're reaching
30:59
uh kind of we have discussed the jewels and there is u something very kind of
31:04
extraordinary. Uh this is just one selection from a lot of thoughts that are coming on auction at the sale. um
31:11
kind of from I want to ask about kind of your career trajectory and kind of what got you into uh working at line turbul
31:20
and uh kind of what has been the highlight of your kind of the past few years and is this the most extraordinary
31:25
collection or have you been involved in a few other kind of informed sales that have come up at auction? Um, so I have
31:33
been a a jewelry historian, auctioneer, jewelry specialist in the auction world,
31:39
whatever you want to call it, for about 15 years now. Um, I started at Bonhams.
31:45
Um, and I was very, very grateful for all my colleagues there who, uh, took me under their wings, taught me everything
31:51
I know, um, more or less. Um, and I spent six years at Bonhams. Um I started
31:59
as the administrator and I left as a specialist at Bomb Street. Um so I I worked my way up as it were uh like like
32:06
so many of us do. Um so it was it was definitely um a great place to learn and
32:14
handle an extraordinary number of items. Um so not the first time I've sold
32:20
important tiaras, not the first time I've sold substantial pieces. Um, you
32:25
know, we were consigning and and I personally consigning and selling, you know, sort of seven figure lots as it
32:30
were. Um, but I joined Lion and Turbull about 18 months ago. Um, and it was a
32:38
chance to bring my personal passion for sort of
32:45
jewelry that's accessible. Um, jewelry that has, you know, a beautiful history
32:50
and provenence and to invest in the London market because I personally feel like the London market needs investment
32:58
and needs attention and it's a wonderful place to find particularly historic
33:03
noble jewels. Um, and it's nice to see them stay in London and not be sent
33:08
overseas. So, it's one of my one of my passions is to make sure that we're appreciating and developing the London
33:15
market and keeping it as such a strong place for people all over the world to come and buy beautiful antique
33:21
contemporary antique to contemporary jewelry. Yeah, it was extraordinary and thank you so much for inviting us to
33:28
come view the pieces in person um and joining us today to discuss about them
33:33
because it is like you're saying it's very important to keep London at the center of the jewelry world there's such
33:38
a rich history and in the past few years um because of political and economic issues that has been shifting a bit so
33:45
it's nice to see it I think this year London has really been the center of a lot of jewelry exhibitions and sales
33:51
it's nice to see this a big part of that It's true. It's true. London maintains its place as a hub and it's nice to
33:57
invest in it. I think that we should all regroup in about 10 days time and have a
34:03
post sale debrief when this is all done and dusted and the results are in.
34:08
We'd love that. This is so extraordinary and um I think just being able to have
34:15
the opportunity to have this connection with you that's makes it so much more special. It's such a pleasure. Like I said, it's
34:21
a real passion of mine. I want to make sure that jewelry is accessible to everybody. Um, jewelry is very special.
34:28
It's very rare. It's very delicate and it can be very expensive, but that doesn't mean that people can't enjoy it,
34:34
access it, appreciate it, handle it. Um, and it's uh, yeah, like I said, it's a
34:39
real passion of mine. So, I'm thrilled that you were able to come in and see them in person. Yeah. Thank you so much. And couldn't
34:45
put it any better. Uh just before we end, could you tell uh our listeners and our viewers um kind of uh all the
34:51
details about the auction where people can come and view it? Is there a link online or just the dates generally?
34:58
Yeah. So the most important thing so the jewelry auction London jewelry at Lion
35:03
and Turbo will take place on the 22nd of October starting at 1:00 p.m. London time. Before that you can come in and
35:11
view the items in person. Um the auction has many days of viewings beforehand.
35:17
They're starting on Friday the 17th, continuing Saturday, um and then Monday
35:24
and Tuesday the 20th and 21st. So that's in our gallery on Konach Street just near Marble Arch. Um if you go to Lion
35:32
and Turble London Jewelry, Google that you will find all the details and the address, but you are very welcome.
35:39
Wonderful. and we will include all the details and when on all the platforms this will be published so you can access
35:45
it easily.