KASHMIR SAPPHIRE: A VERY RARE EARLY 20TH CENTURY SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND BROOCH, CIRCA 1905SOLD FOR €540,000 AT HAMMER
Two Kashmir sapphires made just under €1.1 million at the James Adam sale of fine jewellery in Dublin. A c1900 sapphire and diamond brooch with a central stone of 8.24 carats (pictured below) made a hammer price of €550,000 over a top estimate €300,000. The c1905 sapphire and diamond brooch pictured above with a central stone of 6.53 carats made €540,000 at hammer over a top estimate of €250,000.
(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for August 22 and May 13, 2025)
This c1900 sapphire and diamond brooch made €550,000 at hammer.
A tutti frutti gem set bracelet at Morgan O’Driscoll’s inaugural jewellery sale. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
Sparkling September is practically upon us and in newly minted wealthy Ireland this means that some magnificent jewels will soon come to the auction block. Even though economists argue that GDP – which ranks us among the wealthiest countries in the world – gives a false picture because multinational profits are repatriated, Ireland’s wealth and healthy budget surplus shows.
At a time decades ago when regular antique furniture was falling out of favour many of the smaller auction houses turned to art to keep their turnover afloat. It worked. Jewellery is adding to the money mix now and regularly boosts turnover at sales around Ireland. Art and jewellery are not by any means the trappings of a country where wealth is absent.
A Cartier diamond and gold necklace, a sapphire and diamond ring and signed pieces by Vourakis, Buccellati, Marina B. and Tiffany & Co. will highlight Morgan O’Driscoll’s inaugural jewellery sale on September 8. With a renowned art auction business developed over the past 30 years the Skibbereen based auctioneer has launched a brand new jewellery department led by Colin Weldon.
Certified by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) Weldon is a seasoned jewellery specialist with a track record of sourcing and selling exceptional pieces. GIA certification is an assurance of the quality of a diamond and enhances resale value. Morgan O’Driscoll’s jewellery department will specialise in vintage, antique, and contemporary pieces, with designs from iconic jewellery houses, rare gemstones, and private collections from around the globe.
At this online sale, which will be on view at Buswell’s Hotel in Dublin from September 5 – 8, feature lots include a ruby and diamond cluster ring (€40,000-€60,000), a tutti frutti gem set bracelet (€40,000-€60,000), an ornate 17th century stomacher pendant (€30,000-€40,000) and a diamond necklace by Cartier (€27,500-€35,000).
A pair of fancy intense yellow diamond earrings at Morgan O’Driscoll. UPDATE: THIS LOT WAS UNSOLD
Among the other offerings are an emerald and diamond cluster ring (€20,000-€25,000), a sapphire and diamond ring (€20,000-€25,000), a pair of fancy intense yellow diamond earrings (€17,500-€25,000), a cabochon ruby and diamond cluster ring (€15,000-€20,000), a multi coloured tourmaline and diamond necklace (€15,000-€20,000), a South Sea pearl necklace (€12,500-€17,500), a 1997 Rolex submariner watch (€5,000-€7,000) and a Hermes Kelly handbag (€7,000-€9,000).
This 1940 Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring made a hammer price of €550,000 at James Adam in Dublin in May.
Demand for fine jewellery is growing globally. A retro tank Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring from the 1940’s made a hammer price of €550,000 at James Adam in Dublin in May over a top estimate of €250,000. The next jewellery sale at Adams, on September 9, features two early 20th century prized Kashmir sapphire pieces, a c1900 brooch with an 8.24 carat stone (€200,000-€300,000) and a c1905 brooch with a 6.53 carat stone (€150,000-€250,000).
Who would have thought that a landslide in the Himalayas in 1880 would reverberate through a Dublin salesroom in 2025. The landslide exposed an unusual type of rock from which blue stones protruded. Mining began in 1882 and by 1887 the supply had been exhausted. A new mine found in the valley below was quickly exhausted as well and no other deposits have been found. Kashmir sapphires possess a distinctive tint known to experts at blue velvet.
A c1900 Kashmir sapphire and diamond brooch at Adams in Dublin on September 9. UPDATE: THIS MADE €550,000 AT HAMMER
With a distinguished Irish American provenance the Kashmir stones at Adams will attract international attention. Gifted by Benjamin and Amy Sands of New York to their daughter May on her marriage in 1908 to the Hon Hugh Melville Howard, younger son of the 6th Earl of Wicklow they were inherited by their daughter Katherine Frances Howard (1910-1990) of Shelton Abbey, Co. Wicklow and Ounavarra, Co. Wexford, godmother to the present owner.
The fine jewellery and ladies watches sale at Adams will be on view in Dublin from September 5-9.
RARE EARLY 20TH CENTURY KASHMIR SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND BROOCH, CIRCA 1900
With an estimate of €200,000-300,000 this is one of two Kashmir sapphires at the sale of fine jewellery and ladies watches by James Adam in Dublin on September 9. The 8.24 carat stone is accompanied by reports from laboratories in Switzerland and London stating that it is of Kashmir origin with no indications of heating. What sets Kashmir sapphires apart is their colour: often described as cornflower blue or blue velvet, their rich yet soft appearance is caused in part by minute internal particles scattering the light, a natural effect that adds a gentle glow to the stone. Many contain delicate inclusions that, rather than detract, lend character and depth, allowing their beauty to remain vivid in all kinds of light, a trait that few sapphires share. The Kashmir stone is considered the very finest, surpassing even the best from Burma or Ceylon.
There is a distinguished Irish American provenance. Benjamin Aymar Sands (1853-1917) and his wife Amy Kirby Akin (1850-1934)of 43 East 18th Street, New York gifted it to their daughter May Emily Sands (1879-1941) to celebrate her 1908 marriage to the Hon. Hugh Melville Howard (1883-1919) younger son of the 6th Earl of Wicklow (1842-1891) and Fanny Catherine Wingfield (1860-1914); by descent to their daughter Katharine Frances Howard (1910-1990) of Shelton Abbey, Co, Wicklow and Ounavarra House, Co. Wexford; godmother to the present owner.
The idyll of married life was not to last, as Hugh died of pneumonia at a young age and May developed psychological problems and had to be institutionalised. Their two children Katharine and Cecil went to live with their uncle the 7th Earl of Wicklow at Shelton Abbey and spent holidays with their adoring grandmother Amy Sands. Katharine remained in Ireland and purchased Ounavarra House, Co. Wexford, where she farmed.
A c1905 Kashmir sapphire and diamond brooch from the sale collection is estimated at €150,000-250,000. It weighs 6.53 carats.
RARE EARLY 20TH CENTURY SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND BROOCH, CIRCA 1905
Kashmir sapphire and diamond tank ring. UPDATE: THIS MADE 550,000 AT HAMMER
A retro tank design sapphire and diamond ring will lead Adams sale of fine jewellery and ladies watches in Dublin on May 13. Sapphires from Kashmir have a distinctive tint known to experts at blue velvet which makes them particularly valuable. The cushion shaped sapphire in this ring weighs 6.22 carats and the lot is estimated at €150,000-€250,000. A total of 307 lots are on offer but there will be no internet bidding allowed on this one.
