Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
EditorsJun 24, 2014
The second Clark sale
Everybody loves a mystery, and there is something particularly tantalizing about one that will never quite get solved.
Last week, I wrote about Christie’s auctioning the possessions of Huguette M. Clark, amazing pieces of artwork, antique furniture and musical instruments that had been untouched in her three New York City apartments for decades. The sale of “The Clark Family Treasures” follows the 2012 auction of her jewels.
I remember when Christie's first circulated information about Clark's jewels. They, like the rest of her possessions, had remained untouched for year, locked away in a bank vault and unworn. Christie's Rahul Kadakia called finding the hidden treasure remarkable. The collection then sold for more than $18 million, surpassing Christie's highest pre-sale estimate by $6 million.
What it proved, once again, is that it is difficult to put a price on provenance. How much are people going to be willing to pay over an item's estimated market worth just to say they owned something that was once the property of a specific person? And how much does an intriguing life add to this value?
Clark lived to be 104, the last surviving heiress from the Gilded Age with mansions in Connecticut and California in addition to her apartments in New York. Yet she voluntarily chose to live the last 20 years of her life in a room in New York’s Beth Israel Medical Center, and it seems no one will fully understand the reasons behind her decision.
The sale of the mysterious heiress’ rare books, artwork, antique furniture and other objects garnered $8.5 million. Interestingly, almost exactly half of the sale’s total, $4.3 million, was paid for one object, a painting by John Singer Sargent called Girl Fishing, signed by the artist in 1913.
[caption id="attachment_2395" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
The next highest-grossing lot in the sale didn’t even come close to fetching what Girl Fishing garnered.
It was a painting by William Merritt Chase called A Water Fountain in Prospect Park, which sold for $461,000. The sale’s third highest-grossing lot (be still my nerdy, book-loving heart) was a copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, printed for the poet in Brooklyn in 1855. The book went for $305,000, more than double its highest pre-sale estimate.
[caption id="attachment_2396" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
sold for more than $400,000 at Christie’s auction of “The Clark Family Treasures” held on June 18. Photo credit: Christie’s Images Ltd.[/caption]
A complete list of results from Christie’s “The Clark Family Treasures” sale is available on Christies.com.
Those who want to learn more about the life of this mysterious and reclusive woman can read Empty Mansions and/or The Phantom of Fifth Avenue, two recently published books about Clark’s life and death.
For those who don’t love books as much as I do, don’t despair. Writer-director Ryan Murphy, the creator of Glee, reportedly has optioned the rights to Empty Mansions for a movie.
A complete list of results from Christie’s “The Clark Family Treasures” sale is available on Christies.com.
Those who want to learn more about the life of this mysterious and reclusive woman can read Empty Mansions and/or The Phantom of Fifth Avenue, two recently published books about Clark’s life and death.
For those who don’t love books as much as I do, don’t despair. Writer-director Ryan Murphy, the creator of Glee, reportedly has optioned the rights to Empty Mansions for a movie.
More on Editors
The Latest
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
