Smuggled Sapphires from Russian Royalty could fetch $525,000
November 04, 21
(IDEX Online) - A 26.80-carat sapphire brooch and matching earrings that were smuggled out of Russia during the 1917 revolution are to be sold at Sotheby's Geneva.
The gems (pictured) belonged to Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, of the Russian royal family, and were part of a large collection spirited away by a British diplomat.
Bertie Stopford disguised himself as a workman and made his way to London via Sweden and Scotland with the jewels wrapped in newspaper inside a brown bag. They were divide among her relatives after her death in 1920.
Among the items smuggled was the Vladimir Tiara, now worn by Queen Elizabeth II.
The Ceylon sapphires are described as "a brooch of plaque design, set at the centre with an oval sapphire weighing 26.80 carats, the border set with cushion-shaped and rose diamonds" and a "pair of ear clips en suite, set with step-cut sapphires weighing 6.69 and 9.36 carats respectively, within a border of rose-cut and cushion-shaped diamonds."
The set is offered with a low estimate of $305,000 and a high estimate of $525,000 at Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels: Part I on 10 November.