Record sales of $109 Million for Maharajas and Mughal Masterpieces at Christie's Auction


Bidders from 45 countries including India took part to take home historical relics, and the most precious jewelry around.

FREMONT, CA:  An auction of Indian jewelry crossed a net of $109 million at Christie’s, an auction house in Britain. The breathtaking Indian art and objects included a 17-carat Golconda diamond, a ceremonial sword of the Nizams of Hyderabad and a jeweled Huqqa.

The sale was held in partnership with Christie’s Jewelry Department and World Art Department along with The Fine Art Group, an independent art advisory firm. The sale bidders came from 45 countries across five continents, who participated for all sale channels with remarkable institutional bidding.

The top lot of the sale was A Belle Époque Devant-de-corsage, by Cartier, Paris, 1912, sold for $10,603,500. In addition to this, the other lot includes The Mirror of Paradise, 52.58 carats, D Color, IF, for $6,517,500; and The Shah Jahan Dagger sold for $3,375,000.

Guillaume Cerutti, CEO OF Christie’s, commented that the strong bid that lasted for more than 12 hours of non-stop bidding shows how exceptional the quality of this collection is and how much it is valued among the private collections featured at the auction.

The other notable lot includes marvel pieces like Spinel, Natural Pearl, Diamond and Emerald Bead ‘Imperial Moghul Necklace’ and Earrings sold for $1,935,000, which were special signed pieces by Cartier. Three world records are set for Indian art and 29 lots achieved more than one million USD in the bidding.

Rahul Kadakis, International Head of Jewelry at Christie stated, “Beginning with the sale announcement in April, there have been an overwhelming response to this exceptional collection with the momentum building from the international tour to the NewYork exhibition culminating with the excitement witness in the saleroom.”

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