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  • Posts Tagged ‘world record’

    WORLD RECORD FOR COLOMBIAN EMERALD EAR PENDANTS AT CHRISTIE’S, HONG KONG

    Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

    The world record Colombian emerald ear pendants © Christie's Images Limited 2011. (Click on image to enlarge).

    THERE was a world record for this fabulous pair of Colombian emerald ear pendants at Christie’s in Hong Kong on November 29.  They sold for $4,036,318 US, equivalent to $83,000 US per carat.  Each pendant is set with a cushion-shaped emerald weighing 25.38 and 23.12 carats, surmounted by a cushion-shaped diamond weighing 3.04 and 3.04 carats, mounted in platinum, 3.6 cm long.  Matched pairs of Colombian emeralds of this size and possessing such a high quality with a complete absence of any clarity enhancement are very rare, making the “Estrellas de Colombia” an outstanding pair of Colombian emeralds.

    At Christie’s sale of magnificent jewels the top lots were two D flawless type IIa brilliant cut diamonds of 35.77 and 35.61 carats.   They sold for $8,275,350 and $8,131,654 respectively.

    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for September 25).

    NEW WORLD RECORD FOR PRINTED BOOK AT SOTHEBY’S

    Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

    Audobon's Snowy Owl. (click to enlarge)

    A new world record for a printed book sold at auction was established at Sotheby’s in London on December 7.  A magnificent, rare, copy of John James Audubon’s Birds of America sold for £7,321,250.
    The 4-volume folio” work had been estimated at £4/£6 million.  It was bought by London dealer Michael Tollemache, who was bidding in the room .   After the sale he described the work as “priceless”.
    In total Sotheby’s sale of Magnificent Books, Manuscripts and Drawings from the collection of Frederick, 2nd Lord Hesketh realised £14.9 million. The sale was 99.6 per cent sold by value and 72 per cent of lots exceeded the high  estimate.
    Other benchmarks of the auction included the sale of 40 letters relating to the imprisonment of Mary, Queen of Scots with four letters signed by Queen Elizabeth I for £349,250 and a complete First Folio of William Shakespeare for £1,497,250.

    Audubon's American Flamingo. (click to enlarge)

    The previous record of £5.5 million for a book sold at auction, for a different copy of Audubon’s Birds of America, was established in New York in 2000.