Skinner Rings in the Holidays with Jewelry Auctions Exceeding $2.6M

BOSTON, MA – December 10, 2018 – December Important and Fine Jewelry auctions were led by exceptional colored stones, large diamonds, and a strong collection of antique and period jewelry featuring the Edith Weber Jewelry collection.

The top lots in the auction were a rare Colombian emerald with no treatment that brought an impressive price of $177,000, a remarkable $38,000 per carat. Closely following was an Art Deco Burma Ruby Ring that reached $159,000 after spirited bidding between buyers worldwide.

Early in the auction, Senior Jewelry Specialist Kaitlin Shinnick observed “antique jewerly is back,” and in fact, antique and period jewelry garnered some of the auctions most competitive bidding. Skinner was proud to offer jewelry from the collection of Edith Weber. “We are fearless in our taste,” Barry Weber once said about the iconic antique jewelry store founded by his mother Edith in 1960. The rare and sought after pieces assembled by the Webers brought strong prices that far exceeded their presale estimates. Of special interest to buyers was their renowned collection of memento mori jewelry from the 17^th and 18^th centuries. Kaitlin Shinnick remarked that an Instagram post with a number of examples led to multiple inquiries and bidding from buyers new to Skinner.

Highlights Include:

Lot 316, Unmounted Emerald; Sold for $177,000

A rare unmounted Colombian emerald with no treatment that brought an impressive price of $177,000, a remarkable $38,000 per carat (Lot 316, estimate: $5,000-7,000).

Lot 138, Art Deco Burma Ruby Ring; Sold for $159,000

An Art Deco Burma Ruby Ring that reached $159,000 after spirited bidding between buyers from around the globe (Lot 138, estimate: $40,000-50,000).

Lot 159, Art Deco Platinum, Hardstone, and Diamond Bonsai Tree Brooch, Ernst Paltscho; Sold for $27,060

An Art Deco Platinum, Hardstone, and Diamond Bonsai Tree Brooch, by the Austrian jeweler to “the Kings” Ernst Paltscho, c. 1920., sold for $27,060 (Lot 159, estimate: $3,000-5,000).

Lot 183A, 14kt Gold, Emerald, Diamond, and Ruby "Raja Playing Lute" Brooch, Van Cleef & Arpels; Sold for $15,990

A Van Cleef & Arpels  “Raja Playing Lute” Brooch, c. 1947 that took bidders fancies to sell for $15,990 (Lot 183A, estimate: $5,000-7,000).

Lot 106, Unusual Thirteen-star American Flag Micromosaic; Sold for $13,530

An early and unusual Italian Micromosaic Thirteen-star American Flag Brooch, early 19th century, depicting a thirteen-star flag with Liberty cap, within in a later gold frame, sold for $13,530 (Lot 106, estimate $1,000-1,500).