Marie Antoinette's Pearls To Be Auctioned By Christie's London

More than two hundred years after she was put to death, Marie Antoinette continues to fascinate us. Movies, biographies and now a much anticipated sale later this month of a necklace incorporating a handful of precious pearls once having belonged to the tragic queen captures our attention. Known as Madame Deficite for her lavish spending on fashion and jewels, Marie Antoinette's name is synonymous with extreme extravagance.

The historically important natural pearl, diamond and ruby necklace will be sold at auction on Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at Christie's in London. According to Christie's London, the sumptuous pearls which were incorporated into a necklace in 1849 were given by Marie Antoinette to Lady Sutherland (Elizabeth Leveson-Gower), the wife of the British ambassador (1790-92) Lord George Leveson-Gower, for safekeeping. Lady Elizabeth is believed to have aided King Louis XVI and his family’s failed flight from France on June 20, 1791, during the French Revolution (1789-1799). Prior to Lady Sutherland’s departure, as part of the embassy’s hurried withdrawal in August 1792, Marie Antoinette gave Lady Sutherland a bag of pearls and diamonds for safe keeping. As the wife of the British Ambassador, Lady Sutherland enjoyed diplomatic immunity and was one of the few who could be trusted to return the jewels when the Queen escaped, a plan which was never to be realised. The pearls have been in the same family for over two hundred years.

The necklace has a fringe of twenty one graduated drop-shaped grey natural pearls, each suspended from an old-cut diamond collet surmount to the diamond ribbon which intertwines the ruby collar. The collar is set with twelve button-shaped grey natural pearls which are mounted in gold. The exquisite necklace has never been offered at auction before and is therefore completely fresh to the market. It is estimated it will fetch between £350,000 GBP and £400,000 GBP.

Photographic References:

Left to right: Portrait of Marie-Antoinette possibly by Louise Vigee-Lebrun, circa 1786; Necklace to be auctioned by Christie's London on December 12, 2007; Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette featuring Kirsten Dunst.