An unprecedented collection of Viennese imperial and royal jewelry that was rediscovered this year in a German bank safe smashed expectations at Sotheby’s auction in Geneva, selling at $10.7 million for three times its estimate.
The auction was highlighted by the sale of a natural pearl and diamond devant-de-corsage for $1.15 million.
More than 82% of lots sold above their high estimate for a collection that traced its provenance from the three most important European royal houses linked to the Austrian Hapsburg dynasty.
The auction capped a world tour of the collection that traveled to New York, Cologne, Bangkok, Singapore, Dubai, Taipei and London, culminating in a celebratory dinner in Paris attended by European aristocrats.