Elizabeth Taylor's £100m collection of gems, gowns and art goes on display at Christie's

She was renowned for her impeccable taste in jewellery, and over her lifetime amassed a dazzling collection worth a staggering £20million. Many of the pieces were designed by Taylor herself in partnership with her favoured jewellery house, Cartier, and many bestowed upon her by her generous husbands.

After her death in March this year aged 79, the entire collection of 300 glorious pieces is to go on display at London auction house Christie's, ahead of a sale of the hoard in New York this December.

The chairman and president of Christie's America, Marc Porter, said the sale promised to 'captivate the auction world'. He added: 'This is without a doubt the greatest private collection of jewellery assembled in one place.' 

 


Many of the stunning gems have great historic value. One, La Pérégrina pearl, is widely considered to be one of the most important pearls in the world. The pear-shaped piece dates from the 16th century, and once belonged to King Phillip II of Spain, and later to his daughters Elizabeth and Margaret.

Taylor's fifth husband Richard Burton won it in an auction and gave it to her as a gift, he worked with Cartier to have it hung on a diamond and ruby necklace.
The necklace will be unveiled tomorrow with dozens more of Elizabeth Taylor's gems. Along with the impressive hoard of treasures amassed by the Hollywood legend will be lavish gowns and art by greats such as Van Gogh and Degas.


 

The total collection - given an estimated total value of close to £100m - will go on display in the UK for the first time tomorrow in a three-day exhibition opening at Christie's London.

Stopping off as part of a three-month global tour, the Elizabeth Taylor collection - which attracted 6,000 visitors when previewed in Moscow earlier this month - is being unveiled in the run-up to a much-anticipated December auction held in New York, where all the pieces will be sold.
Fans of the Oscar-winning actress, who died of heart failure aged 79 earlier this March, will have the opportunity to view the vast array of items taken from her Bel Air estate.

Top pieces include the Elizabeth Taylor diamond, La Peregrina pearl once owned by England’s Queen Mary I, dresses from leading designers including Versace and Chanel and rare works of art by the likes of Van Gogh and Renoir.

A total of 269 pieces from her jewellery collection will be auctioned while 400 fashion items spanning over 50 years of Taylor's life will also be sold off.