AuctionsSep 01, 2026
UK Woman Uncovers Rare Patek Philippe Watch in Mom’s Jewelry BoxAuctionsSep 29, 2026
If You Love Cats, This Jewelry Auction Is for You
Cat ladies of the jewelry world, unite. Sandy Lerner’s collection of cat jewelry and other objects is going up for auction Wednesday.
Tech entrepreneur, philanthropist, and farmer Sandy Lerner was a cat person. Her unrivaled collection of cat artwork, objects, and jewelry will be up for sale Wednesday at Bonhams. Among them is this 18-karat gold and diamond cat brooch made in France (pre-sale estimate $5,000 to $7,000). (Photo courtesy of Bonhams)
New York—For thousands of years, people have revered cats for their beauty, enigmatic nature, and superiority to dogs.
They’re skilled hunters, social media stars, sources of healing and comfort, and (sometimes) sweet companions; many would say you haven’t lived until you’ve curled up in a bed with a purring cat.
Cats also make for beautiful jewelry, from big cats like Cartier’s iconic “Panthère” collection to personalized representations of smaller (but still fierce) house cats from independent designers like Irene Neuwirth, Francesca Villa, and Russell Jones and Judi Powers.
Many famous people are known cat lovers, but perhaps none are as dedicated to the feline form as Sandy Lerner, co-founder of Cisco Systems and founder of cosmetics brand Urban Decay.
Lerner possesses what is believed to be one of the “most significant private collections of cat-related decorative arts, books, and collectibles ever assembled,” Bonhams said, and it’s going up for auction in a series of sales this fall along with furniture and artwork from her 800-acre organic farm and estate in Virginia.
“These are objects I have personally chosen. They each had a place in my home, giving context and beauty as representatives of other lives and other times,” Lerner said in a press release from the auction house.
“They need to be rehomed, now, to others who will care for, cherish, and respect them as icons of the human achievement and—in the case of the caticons—affection that created them. May these beautiful things give you as much joy and wonder as I have found in their company.”
“The Sandy Lerner Cat Collection Part I” is scheduled for this Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Bonhams New York and will feature 66 pieces of art, decorative objects, collectibles, and jewelry depicting cats.
A lavender jade pendant depicting two cats confronting each other is expected to be the auction’s top-grossing cat jewelry lot.
The pendant comes on a necklace set with black and white diamonds and is detachable.
It’s estimated to sell for as much as $18,000.
They’re skilled hunters, social media stars, sources of healing and comfort, and (sometimes) sweet companions; many would say you haven’t lived until you’ve curled up in a bed with a purring cat.
Cats also make for beautiful jewelry, from big cats like Cartier’s iconic “Panthère” collection to personalized representations of smaller (but still fierce) house cats from independent designers like Irene Neuwirth, Francesca Villa, and Russell Jones and Judi Powers.
Many famous people are known cat lovers, but perhaps none are as dedicated to the feline form as Sandy Lerner, co-founder of Cisco Systems and founder of cosmetics brand Urban Decay.
Lerner possesses what is believed to be one of the “most significant private collections of cat-related decorative arts, books, and collectibles ever assembled,” Bonhams said, and it’s going up for auction in a series of sales this fall along with furniture and artwork from her 800-acre organic farm and estate in Virginia.
“These are objects I have personally chosen. They each had a place in my home, giving context and beauty as representatives of other lives and other times,” Lerner said in a press release from the auction house.
“They need to be rehomed, now, to others who will care for, cherish, and respect them as icons of the human achievement and—in the case of the caticons—affection that created them. May these beautiful things give you as much joy and wonder as I have found in their company.”
“The Sandy Lerner Cat Collection Part I” is scheduled for this Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Bonhams New York and will feature 66 pieces of art, decorative objects, collectibles, and jewelry depicting cats.
A lavender jade pendant depicting two cats confronting each other is expected to be the auction’s top-grossing cat jewelry lot.
The pendant comes on a necklace set with black and white diamonds and is detachable.
It’s estimated to sell for as much as $18,000.
Sandy Lerner’s lavender jade cat pendant on a long chain is expected to sell for $14,000 to $18,000. The picture on the right shows a closeup of the pendant, which features two cats. (Photos courtesy of Bonhams)
This 18-karat gold Tiffany & Co. cat pendant/pin features textured and polished gold. Its pre-sale estimate is $8,000 to $12,000.
Also by Tiffany & Co., this 18-karat gold cat brooch with green enamel eyes looks like it’s ready for some pets (pre-sale estimate $3,000 to $5,000).
There are also two pieces of cat jewelry by Tiffany & Co.
A pendant/brooch depicting a cat’s head uses textured 18-karat gold for the fur and polished gold for the eyes and nose (pre-sale estimate $8,000 to $12,000) while an 18-karat gold brooch features a stylized cat with prominent whiskers and green enamel eyes (pre-sale estimate $3,000 to $5,000).
The 18-karat gold and diamond cat brooch pictured at the top of the article has eyes of green and black enamel. It was made in France and is expected to sell for $5,000 to
$7,000.
The cats in these earrings are crafted in 18-karat white gold with sapphire eyes and collars. They are curled up around cultured pearls (pre-sale estimate $2,000 to $3,000).
A pair of 18-karat white gold and diamond earrings depicting cats wrapped around cultured pearls are estimated at $2,000 to $3,000.
An online sale, “The Sandy Lerner Cat Collection Part II,” will coincide with the live sale at Bonhams New York.
It is taking place now through Oct. 1 and includes more cat jewelry, artwork, decorative objects, and collectibles from Lerner’s collection.
Following the two cat auctions, the sale will migrate to Massachusetts, where Bonhams will present “Ayrshire Farm: The Sandy Lerner Collection Parts I & II,” a selection of furniture, decorative arts, paintings, lighting, and furnishings from her Georgian Revival-style estate in Upperville, Virginia.
The first part of the sale will be a live auction held Oct. 28 in Massachusetts while the second part will take place online from Oct. 18-29.
Bonhams’ announcement of the four-part “The Sandy Lerner Collection” sale comes less than a year after news surfaced in The Wall Street Journal that Lerner was putting 571 acres of Ayrshire Farm on the market for $19.8 million.
Lerner bought Ayrshire Farm for $7 million in 1996, leaving Silicon Valley to become a full-time organic farmer. The tech entrepreneur and feline enthusiast, now in her early 70s, told the Journal that she was selling the farm to simplify her life.
The property went under contract for the asking price the week after it was listed, and the sale closed in March, according to Washington, D.C. real estate website Urban Turf.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Auctions
The Latest
MajorsOct 13, 2026
David Webb Owner Purchases Lugano JewelryThe high-end jewelry retailer was sold to private investment firm Middle West Partners and a group of longtime clients.
Lab-GrownOct 13, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb Takes Lab-Grown Diamond Collection WholesaleThe jewelry designer has partnered with Sofer Jewelry to distribute her 85-piece lab-grown diamond collection.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Sean DunnDunn, this year’s Single-Store Independent inductee, is passionate about innovation and telling the story of natural diamonds.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Greenwich St. Jewelers’ New Candle Smells Like HomeThe “Island Jewel” candle honors New York City and Puerto Rico and raises money for the island’s water relief efforts.
Weekly QuizOct 08, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TechnologyOct 13, 2026
GemFind Is a New JA Member Benefit Partner The partnership will give JA members access to preferred pricing, exclusive benefits, technology solutions, education, and resources.
SurveysOct 09, 2026
These Will Be the 10 Busiest Days for In-Store Shopping This Holiday SeasonStores should expect to see the most customers on Nov. 27, and Christmas week is expected to be hectic too, as Dec. 25 falls on a Friday.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
CollectionsOct 09, 2026
Elisa Solomon Collabs With Serendipity 3 on ‘Frozen Hot Chocolate’ CharmThe charm, our Piece of the Week, features brown diamond frozen hot chocolate topped with white diamond whipped cream and a ruby straw.
WatchesOct 09, 2026
Movado to Sell Majority Stake in Ebel for $66.5MThe watch company agreed to sell a 95 percent interest to a group comprised of F.P. Journe, Chanel, and Swiss watch exec Pierre Jacques.
Policies & IssuesOct 08, 2026
Third Wave of IEEPA Tariff Refunds Begins This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.
CollectionsOct 08, 2026
Brent Neale’s New Collection Goes ‘Back to Basics’It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.
SourcingOct 08, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to BrooklynThe trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.
Events & AwardsOct 08, 2026
Pattons Fine Jewelry Sweeps Local Design ContestAra Chanakian, a jeweler at Pattons, took home top honors in every category at Jewelers of Louisiana’s annual jewelry design competition.
AuctionsOct 08, 2026
Reba McEntire’s Jewelry, Watches Head to Julien’s AuctionsThe live charity benefit sale in Nashville will also feature gowns, boots, and other memorabilia from the country music legend.
Supplier BulletinOct 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Helps Jewelers Turn Custom Design into a Hands-On Selling ExperienceSponsored by Overnight Mountings
Policies & IssuesOct 07, 2026
The Plumb Club Amplifies Its Voice as Geopolitical Pressures MountThe supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
Blue Nile, Royal Asscher Collection Highlights Natural Diamond BeautyBlue Nile, a Signet Jewelers-owned brand, is now Royal Asscher’s exclusive licensed retailer in North America.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
4 Standout Pieces in Audemars Piguet’s First High Jewelry Collection “Royal Oak” pays homage to the brand’s most popular watch model using 18-karat gold as well as diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires.
MajorsOct 07, 2026
Empire Safe & Vault Promotes Juan Morales to CEOAs part of the transition, Joseph Nicosia has stepped into the role of COO.
SourcingOct 07, 2026
AGTA Extends Deadline for 2026 Spectrum Awards EntriesParticipants now have until Oct. 14 to complete their submissions.
CrimeOct 06, 2026
6 Charged in Connection to String of New Jersey Smash-and-GrabsThe alleged thieves used crow bars and sledgehammers to smash into jewelry stores across the state.
ColumnistsOct 06, 2026
Sherry Smith: Is the Consumer Really Trading Up?Ahead of the holidays, Smith urges jewelers to take a hard look at who’s buying jewelry, what they’re purchasing, and who’s stopped buying.
SourcingOct 06, 2026
DDG Taps Influencers for ‘My Diamond Does Good’ CampaignIn the new consumer-facing campaign, four fashion and lifestyle creators share the stories behind their natural diamond pieces.
MajorsOct 06, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names COO, CMOFGI President John Orrico is also leaving the company after more than 13 years.
Events & AwardsOct 06, 2026
JIS Fall Returns to MiamiThe 2026 edition will feature presentations on alternative materials and design trends, as well as pop-up activations on the show floor.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
De Beers to Take Full Ownership of Gahcho KuéIt is the last fully operational diamond mine in Canada following the recent closures of Ekati and Diavik.
