Second High-Profile Lot Pulled from Auction
November 20, 23
(IDEX Online) - The pearl necklace worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1953 movie Roman Holiday has been pulled from auction, without explanation, by Christie's Geneva.
It follows another unexplained withdrawal, that of the Blue Lagoon tourmaline (estimate $1.44m to $2.44m) from a Sotheby's Geneva auction earlier this month.
The Hepburn choker-style pearl necklace, set with cabochon sapphires, was sold after filming of the 1953 romantic comedy to private clients who recently consigned it to Christie's.
The British actress, who later starred in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), wore simple, single-strand pearl necklaces as a signature part of her look.
It carried an estimate of CHF18,000-26,000 ($20,000 to $29,000).
The auction house conformed that the item had been withdrawn from its Jewels Online: The Geneva Edit, which closed on 16 November, but said it could not provide further details for reasons of confidentiality.
Pics courtesy Christie's