CHRISTIES ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS MARGARET COLLECTION ((( $ 25,100,000.00 SALE ))) HIGHLY COLLECTABLE Start Price USD 79.99 Current Price USD 79.99 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price USD 89.99 Reserve Price - Start Time Monday, October 06, 2008 End Time Monday, October 13, 2008 Location Not Specified See more about 'CHRISTIES ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS MARGARET COLLECTION' Description CHRISTIE'S PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS MARGARET, COUNTESS OF SNOWDON JUNE 13TH AND 14TH 2006 THIS TWO VOLUME AUCTION CATALOGS CONTAIN 684 PAGES AND 896 LOTS  VOLUME ONE : JEWELLERY AND FABERGE VOLUME II : SILVER, FURNITURE, AND WORKS OF ART  ((( HIGHLY COLLECTABLE ))  (( NEW CONDITION WITH BAND ))   ROYAL RESULTS AT CHRISTIE’S JEWELLERY & FABERGÉ FROM THE PRIVATE COLLECTION OF HRH THE PRINCESS MARGARET, COUNTESS OF SNOWDON REALISES £9.6 MILLION ($17.7 MILLION / €14 MILLION) IN FIRST DAY OF SALE Tuesday, 13 June 2006 Christie’s King Street London – The first day of the sale of jewellery and works of art from the Private Collection of Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, at Christie’s has realised £9,597,680 ($17,659,731/ €14,031,808). The auction has already far exceeded pre-sale expectations as the allure and appeal of this Collection led to an unprecedented response to the sale contents. The sale continues tomorrow. Christie’s auction house was packed with bidders who competed fiercely throughout the day in the four video-linked auction rooms. Many had travelled great distances to attend the sale and were joined in the activity by over 1,000 clients who had left written bids, and over 500 bidders who joined the action on the telephones from all points of the globe. The sale is so far 100% sold. Registered buyer activity was 58% from the UK; 15% from the rest of Europe; 16% from the Americas; 10% from Asia and 1% from the Middle East. "These extraordinary results and the wide participation of bidders from all over the world paid tribute to the international fame of HRH The Princess Margaret. Her glamour and aura were such that collectors flew especially from Asia and America for just one day to participate in this landmark auction. Pieces fetched results up to 150 times their original estimates, which is unprecedented, as the market decided the added value of the Royal provenance", said Francois Curiel, Chairman of Christie's Europe, who was also the auctioneer of the sale. The first lot offered, a ruby and cultured pearl necklace, dated circa 1930, worn in a photograph of the Princess when she was just two years old, climbed from an estimate of £1,200 to sell for £27,600. This trend continued throughout the sale as bidders competed to secure a piece of history. A superb translucent mauve enamelled silver clock applied with gold decorative elements was the top selling lot today realising the second highest price ever paid for any Fabergé clock of £1,240,000 ($2,281,600). A gift from Her Majesty Queen Mary (estimate: £600,000- 800,000), the clock was highly sought by Russian clients as well as other international bidders. It eventually sold to an anonymous purchaser. The group of thirteen pieces by Fabergé, fetched a total of £2,735,600 ($5,033,504). Princess Margaret’s collection of jewellery spanned every stage of her life. Among the most treasured pieces offered today an antique diamond rivière, circa 1900, accompanied by three handwritten notes naming the necklace after a previous owner as the ‘Lady Mount Stephen’. The necklace sold for £993,600 ($1,828,224). It had been given to Princess Margaret by her grandmother Her Majesty Queen Mary (1867-1953) (estimate: £200,000-300,000). Another important and historic piece was the ‘Poltimore Tiara’ which was originally created by Royal Jeweller Garrard in 1870 for Lady Poltimore, the wife of the second Baron Poltimore (estimate £150,000-200,000). The Princess wore it on several occasions including her wedding and, in its alternative form, as a stunning diamond fringe necklace and scroll brooches prior to the wedding. Several bidders competed for this historic item, and it finally sold for £926,400 ($1,704,576). Further highlights today included the cherished five-row Art Deco pearl and diamond necklace that Princess Margaret wore when photographed by Cecil Beaton for some of her most memorable birthday portraits (estimate £15,000-20,000), selling for £276,800 ($509,312). More personal items of jewellery included a Victorian bee brooch accompanied by a note in Princess Margaret’s hand “Almost the first bit of jewellery given to Mum…given to me 10 Feb 1945” (estimate: £500–700) that sold for £33,600 ($61,824). Princess Margaret’s artistic patronage was particularly notable in her personal collection of jewels dating from the 1960s and 1970s. Demonstrating her acute eye and sense of style for unique and technically virtuous creations were examples from the workshops of British ‘craftsmen-jewellers’ of this period such as Andrew Grima and John Donald. The diamond-set brooch cast by Andrew Grima in yellow gold in 1967 directly from the piece of lichen sent to him by The Princess as a prototype sold for £12,000 ($22,080). Total: £9,597,680 Lots Offered: 192 Lots Sold: 192 Sale No: 7335 $17,659,731 Sold by Lot: 100% Sold by £: 100% $:1.840 / €:1.462 €14,031,808 Comment: Raymond Sancroft-Baker, Head of Jewellery, Christie’s London: “Today’s sale was a wonderful tribute to an exceptionally beautiful and stylish Princess. The first lot of the sale, a ruby and pearl necklace worn by Princess Margaret on her second birthday, set a precedent that was followed throughout the auction, selling for over 20 times its low estimate at £27,600. Both personal and historic pieces such as the Fabergé clock, the diamond rivière and pearl necklace, all from H.M. Queen Mary, together with the Poltimore Tiara, were fiercely sought-after, with buyers travelling from all over the world to attend this unique auction. We look forward to tomorrow’ sale of Silver, Furniture and Works of Art from the Collection of Her Royal Highness, The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon.” LOTS £ $ € Estimate Buyer 129 £1,240,000 $2,281,600 €1,812,880 £600,000 - 800,000 Anonymous A Fabergé mauve enamelled silver clock, Moscow, 1896-1908 191 £993,600 $1,828,224 €1,452,643 £200,000 - 300,000 Asian Private An antique diamond rivière, circa 1900 192 £926,400 $1,704,576 €1,354,397 £150,000 - 200,000 Asian Private The 'Poltimore Tiara', 1870 130 £366,400 $674,176 €535,677 £40,000 - 60,000 UK Private A pair of Fabergé jewelled glass scent-bottles, Moscow, 1896-1908 113 £299,200 $550,528 €437,430 £15,000 - 20,000 European Trade A three stone Burmese ruby and diamond ring 131 £299,200 $550,528 €437,430 £70,000 - 100,000 Private A Fabergé jewelled pale green hardstone clock, St. Petersburg, 1908-1917 118 £276,800 $509,312 €404,681 £15,000 - 20,000 Asian Private An Art-Deco pearl and diamond necklace, circa 1925 122 £209,600 $385,664 €306,435 £20,000 - 30,000 UK Trade A Fabergé jewelled and enamelled gold cigarette-case 132 £187,200 $344,448 €273,686 £3,000 - 5,000 UK Trade A diamond ‘M’ monogram brooch 127 £153,600 $282,624 €224,563 £7,000 - 9,000 Private A Fabergé gold and enamel rock-crystal scent-bottle, St Petersburg, 1896-1908 Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret (1930-2002) Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret was the younger daughter of Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and sister to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She was born on 21 August 1930. During her rich and varied life, The Princess played an active role in the Royal Family's public work, supporting H.M. The Queen. Her particular interests were in the broad field of welfare work, and in the arts. She was patron or president of over 80 organisations, ranging from children's charities to ballet companies. Educated at home with her sister, H.M. The Queen, The Princess learned to ride, enjoyed swimming and became a keen gardener. She had a strong interest in music from an early age, taking piano lessons by the age of four and later becoming an accomplished pianist. In 1937 she joined the Brownies, and when she was old enough enlisted in the Girl Guides. She always maintained close links with Guiding, and, until her death, served as President and Chairman of the Council of the Girl Guides Association. In childhood during the Second World War she also became a Sea Ranger and, in 1949, was appointed their Commodore. When she was five years old The Princess attended the Jubilee of her grandparents, their Majestys King George V and Queen Mary. Less than two years later came her second great State occasion, her parents' Coronation in Westminster Abbey. Princess Margaret began to carry out public engagements at a very young age; one early appointment was as Patron of the Scottish Children's League (becoming President in 1966). In 1947 she accompanied the King and Queen and Princess Elizabeth on their South African tour. In February 1960 H.M. The Queen announced her consent to the engagement of Princess Margaret to Mr Antony Armstrong- Jones, and they were married in Westminster Abbey on 6 May. The honeymoon was spent in the West Indies. Following their marriage they made their home in Kensington Palace. In October 1961 Mr Armstrong-Jones was created The Earl of Snowdon. They had two children and Princess Margaret was a devoted mother. Their son, Viscount Linley, was born on 3 November 1961 and christened David Albert Charles; their daughter, Lady Sarah Frances Elizabeth, was born on 1 May 1964. The marriage of The Princess to Lord Snowdon was dissolved in May 1978. Over the years, their son David Linley has achieved international renown for his company, LINLEY, which designs and manufactures furniture, upholstery and accessories of the highest Page 8 of 8 quality. He shares his mother’s passion for the arts and has also written numerous books and lectured around the world. Princess Margaret took a full share in the Royal Family's many public activities and showed particular interest in the broad field of welfare work. Many of the 80-plus organisations of which she was Patron or President are concerned with activities for young people, children's wellbeing and caring for sick people. The Princess was President of the National Society and of the Royal Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Formerly Commandant-in-Chief of the Ambulance and Nursing Cadets of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, she later became Grand President of the St John Ambulance Brigade and Colonel-in-Chief of Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps. Princess Margaret made many official overseas visits, representing H.M. The Queen on numerous important occasions. She also opened British fairs and trade promotions, besides making other less formal visits. The Princess's first Commonwealth visit alone was to the Caribbean in 1955. In the arts, two of Princess Margaret's great enthusiasms were music and ballet. In 1957, the same year that she was made an Honorary Doctor of Music of London University, she became the first President of the Royal Ballet, H.M. The Queen serving as Patron; she was also President of the Sadler's Wells Foundation Total: £4,061,048 Lots Offered: 593 Lots Sold: 593 Sale No: 7213 $7,464,206 Sold by Lot: 100% Sold by £: 100% $:1.838/ €: 1.460 €5,929,130 Comment: Andrew Waters and Orlando Rock, Directors of House Sales, Christie’s London: “This historic and unparalleled sale generated extraordinary interest from around the world and the results are a wonderful testament to the style and glamour of one of the world’s most beautiful Princesses. The combination of impeccable Royal provenance and the glamour of H.R.H. The Princess Margaret saw many pieces fetch prices well above their estimates as buyers fought for their own piece of royal history. Unique world record prices were achieved throughout the sale from Princess Margaret’s 1960s umbrellas to her Disney breakfast set, bringing the combined sale total over the two days to £13,658,728 ($25,104,742).” LOTS £ $ € Estimate Buyer 793 £680,000 $1,249,840 €992,800 In excess of £200,000 Anonymous Pietro Annigoni (1910-1988), Portrait of Princess Margaret, painted in 1957. WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR THE ARTIST 331 £102,000 $187,476 €148,920 £3,000 - 5,000 UK Advisor A George V gem-set gold cigarette-case by Cartier, London, 1940 681 £84,000 $154,392 €122,640 £30,000 - 50,000 UK Private A pair of George II giltwood mirrors, circa 1755-60 680 £69,600 $127,924 €101,616 £12,000 - 18,000 Anonymous A pair of Venetian giltwood, mecca and polychrome-decorated Blackamoor figures, late 18th/early 19th century 586 £66,000 $121,308 €96,360 £25,000 - 40,000 UK Trade A pair of Regency 18-inch diameter library globes, on ebony-inlaid mahogany stands, by John & William Cary, circa 1816 – 1818 351 £60,000 $110,280 €87,600 £25,000 - 35,000 UK Private A Victorian silver-gilt mounted dressing-table service, mark of Paul Storr, London, 1837 475 £60,000 $110,280 €87,600 £4,000 - 6,000 Italian Private A French ormolu-mounted, rock-crystal and glass twelve-light chandelier, in the Louis XVI style, early 20th century 827 £48,000 $88,224 €70,000 £3,000 - 5,000 UK Private An Italian green and parcel-gilt four-post bed, circa 1888 410 £42,000 $77,196 €61,320 £10,000 - 15,000 Asian Private A pair of large early Victorian gilt-lacquered and patinated-bronze seven light candelabra, mid-19th century 312 £38,400 $70,579 €56,064 £300 - 500 UK Advisor A limed oak chair, High Wycombe manufacture, circa 1937 Created by eBay Blackthorne ver. 3.2.31.0 Place a Bid!