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The Beau Sancy diamond. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR $9,699,618 US dollars

A 34.98 carat diamond worn in her crown by Marie de Medici at her coronation as Queen Consort of Henri IV in 1610 will be sold at Sotheby’s in Geneva on May 15.  The Beau Sancy, a modified pear double rose cut diamond has passed down through the royal families of France, England, Prussia and the House of Orange.  Acquired by Nicolas de Harlay, Lord of Sancy (1546-1629), in Constantinople in the mid to late 1500’s, the Beau Sancy is most likely to have originated from the mines in south-central India near the city of Golconda, the source of history’s best-known diamonds, including the Hope and the Koh-i-Noor.

The Beau Sancy was bought by Henri IV and gifted to his wife. After the King’s assassination and the Queen’s escape to the Netherlands it was sold to Prince Frederick Hendrick of Orange-Nassau (1584-1647).  In 1641 it was used to seal the arrangement of the wedding of Frederick Hendrick’s son, Willem, later Willem II of Orange Nassau (1631-1660), to Mary Stuart, daughter of Charles I of England and Henriette-Marie of France, and grand-daughter of Marie de Medici. It was pawned to settle Mary Stuart’s debts.  It went back to Orange Nassau for the wedding of Willem III (1650-1702) to Mary II Stuart, daughter of the King of England James II.  Willem  and Mary ascended to the throne of England, but died childless and the diamond went back to Orange Nassau.  The Beau Sancy  subsequently became the principal ornament of the new Crown of Prussia. After the Second World War the Beau Sancy passed passed to the eldest son of the Kaiser, Kronprinz Wilhelm (1882-1951) and his son, Prince Louis Ferdinand (1907-1994). After the death of Prince Louis Ferdinand, the diamond was inherited as part of the estate by his grandson, Georg Friedrich (1976-), Prince of Prussia and current head of the Royal House of Prussia. Sotheby’s estimate it at $2-4 million/

UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR $9,699,618 US dollars.

The carved jade gift to Prince Gong at Bonhams. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £481,250.

A magnificent pale green jade mountain, dating from the 18th century will be the highlight of Bonhams next Chinese sale on May 17 in London. It was a gift from Li Hong Zhang to Prince Gong, two of the most important statesmen of  the late Qing Dynasty. The piece is estimated at £400,000-600,000.

The jade boulder is carved as a mountain peak in high relief with four sages and an attendant on a narrow ledge above a stream in a mountainous landscape with pine and wutong trees. The reverse is carved with rocky cliffs and trees. The nine character inscription reads: Jin Feng Gong Qing Wang Chen Li Hong Zhang (‘Humbly Presented [to] Prince Gong [by] Minister Li Hong Zhang). It comes with its original carved wooden stand and is 141/2 inches wide and seven inches high.

Li Hong Zhang, GCVO (1823-1901), Premier of the Viceroyalty of Zhili, gifted it to Prince Gong,Yixin (1833-1898).   Prince Gong was the sixth son of the Daoguang Emperor (reigned 1821-1850) and half brother of the Xianfeng Emperor (reigned 1850-1861). He served as Prince Regent during the Tongzhi Emperor’s reign (1861-1875).  The carving passed by descent to his grandson Prince Gong.  Japanese dealers Yamanka and Co. offered it through the American Art Galleries in New York in 1913.  It was sold to a private English collector in London in 1963.

UPDATE: IT MADE £481,250.

A selection of diamonds bright enough to sparkle on any Leap Year Day  will be among 355 lots at O’Reilly’s sale at Francis St., Dublin on Wednesday, February 29.  The sale is highlighted by a number of diamond rings including a Tiffany solitaire.  There are diamond line necklaces, an Edwardian diamond and sapphire cluster ring, gold items and watches by  Rolex, Cartier, Jaeger le Coultre and Patek Philippe. There is a selection of antique silverware, paintings and collectibles.  Here is a small selection, the catalogue is on-line:

A diamond solitaire stampled Tiffany and Co., 1999 at O'Reilly's sale in Dublin. It is estimated at 20,000-25,000.

This diamond cocktail necklace has an estimate of 5,000-6,000 at O'Reilly's in Dublin.

A DIAMOND AND AQUAMARINE CLUSTER RING (1,200 - 1,400)

The Art Deco aquamarine pendant which once belonged to Princess Viktoria Luise. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 5,600

A pendant and a brooch once belonging to Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia, only daughter of Kaiser Wilhelm II, feature at a sale in Dublin on February 21.  John Weldon Auctioneers of Cow’s Lane, Temple Bar,  will offer an Art Deco style brooch with aquamarine and diamonds set in 14 carat white gold and a brooch set with opals and diamonds.  The pendant is estimated at 3,000-4,000, the brooch at 1,500-2,500.

An opal and diamond brooch from the collection of Princess Viktoria Luise. (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 1,900

HRH Viktoria Luise of Pruissa (1892-1980) was the only daughter and last child of Wilhelm II.  She married Prince Ernst Augustus of Hanover in 1913. As the wife of a prince of the House of Hanover she was Princess of Hanover, Princess of Great Britain and Ireland and Duchess of Brunswick and Lunenburg.  Viktoria Luise was the maternal grandmother of Queen Sofia of Spain and the former King Constantine II of the Hellenes. The two pieces in the Dublin sale came from an auction of some of her personal effects in Hanover in 1982.