THE FÜRSTENBERG TIARA HITS THE AUCTION BLOCK AT CHRISTIE’S
A very versatile tiara from a European princely collection will be sold next week at Christie’s in Geneva next week—and we’ve got all the details on the sparkling jewel!
The diamond and pearl tiara dates to the nineteenth century. It was originally part of the jewelry collection of the Prince and Princess of Fürstenberg, heads of a princely house from Germany. You’ll recognize the von Fürstenberg name from some of its more famous bearers. Members of the extended family include the socialite Ira von Fürstenberg, fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg (who was married to a member of the family), and Alexandra von Fürstenberg (sister of Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, and also a former wife of a member of the extended family).
And other gemstones could be placed where the pearls would normally sit as well. Here, in a portrait painted by that master Philip de Laszlo, Princess Irma wears the all-diamond version of the tiara with a large emerald addition. The picture was painted around 1899.
The auction house also demonstrates how the diamond sections look when removed from the frame and placed in a necklace setting. Each individual diamond element can be worn separately as a brooch or a hairpin.
Here’s one more look at the way the necklace would sit when worn. The remarkable jewel is being offered for sale by “a lady of title.” It will be auctioned in Geneva on May 11, and the estimate is currently set at 400,000-600,000 Swiss francs (about $408,000-613,000 USD). Which royal lady do you think this tiara would suit best?
