Famous Jewelry Collectors

The Duchess of Windsor, Ava Gardner, Joan Crawford, socialite Barbara Hutton, and the German Princes von Thurn und Taxis, as this gorgeously illustrated book shows, all amassed spectacular collections of jewelry. Here, for the first time, is a public viewing of fabulous bracelets, necklaces, rings, brooches, and earrings owned by the rich and famous-along with a peek into the glamorous lives behind these glittering collections. Two international jewelry experts who have handled countless auctions of fine jewelry from private estates tell how the collections of Mary Pickford, Merle Oberon, King Umberto II of Italy, and Helena Rubenstein, among others, came into being, and which jewelers these collectors favored. This is a book for everyone interested in society, collecting, and the finest of jewelry.

Library Journal

Eighteen magnificent jewelry collections are shown here in clear, vibrant photos of the actual pieces, along with photos of their owners wearing them. The collectors were some of the most glamorous of the 20th century: actresses, an opera singer, royalty, aristocrats, and society women. The fascinating lives of these women are intertwined with accounts of how each acquired her jewelry, when and where she was seen wearing the jewels, and, most interesting of all, the various metamorphoses of many of the pieces of jewelry. Originals and resettings are depicted, as seemingly "old-fashioned" bracelets, brooches, necklaces, rings, and earrings were redesigned to ensure that their owners would remain in the height of fashion. The authors, both directors at Sotheby's, provide the sort of information appearing in auction catalogs that few readers probably have the chance to see. This beautifully produced, very readable book is highly recommended for public and academic library decorative art collections.--Therese Duzinkiewicz Baker, Western Kentucky Univ. Libs., Bowling Green Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.\