Bvlgari, Hermes, Cartier, Tiffany, Rolex All Shine In Neue Auctions' Property Of A Gentleman Auction

By Author: Cynthia Maciejewski
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A Bvlgari 18K white gold and pave diamonds Serpenti viper ring more than doubled its high estimate to finish at $11,685; an Hermes Ebene Clemence Birkin 42 shoulder bag realized $8,610; and a men’s Rolex Sea-Dweller Deep Sea wristwatch rang up $6,765 in Neue Auctions’ online-only Property of a Gentleman auction held on October 18th.

The tidy, 191-lot auction featured a single-owner’s collection of luxury items, jewelry and art. Most of the artwork was purchased from galleries in California over the last 20 years. The luxury items, including fine watches and jewelry, were in nice condition, some with original box and papers. Very few items had reserves. The Friday noon start is now standard for Neue Auctions.

The dazzling Bvlgari Serpenti viper ring in 18K white gold boasted 1.74 carats of brilliant-cut pave diamonds. The ring, one coil, came with the original boxes and weighed approximately 9 grams. It easily blasted through its $3,000-$5,000 pre-sale estimate to be the auction’s top lot.

The Hermes Ebene Clemence Jean Paul Gaultier designed Shoulder Birkin 42 bag, with Palladium plated hardware, ...
... lock, keys, clochette, dust bag and original box, sold within estimate. Another Hermes bag, a Birkin 40 bag, Ebene Barenia Faubourg, in brown leather with palladium plated hardware, full leather lining, dust bag and original box, brought $6,072.

The men's Rolex Sea-Dweller Deep-Sea stainless-steel watch with oyster case, style 116660, had a rotating bezel, a domed synthetic sapphire crystal and titanium alloy case back, a helium valve at 9 o'clock, and a black dial with white hands. It came with the original box and papers.

It wasn’t the usual Neue Auctions sale, and the numbers bore than out: 71 percent of participants were first-time bidders with Neue Auctions, while the remaining 28.4 percent were returning bidders. Bidders came from 20 different countries (although 93.3 percent were in the U.S.). Second and third runners-up were Canada and the UK. The farthest away was New Zealand.

“This was a different sale for us, as we usually handle antiques and older works of art,” said Cynthia Maciejewski, a manager at Neue Auctions. “We’re hoping to receive more auction consignments like this in the future. It's a competitive market and there are several auction houses in our area. Fortunately, we've been able to stand out amongst them in our industry."

Following are additional highlights from the auction. Internet bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. Prices quoted include a 23 percent buyer’s premium.

A Cartier Panthère de Cartier white gold, diamond and emerald ring, so-named because it’s in the shape of a panther, set with about 72 brilliant-cut pave diamonds totaling 0.68 carats, went for $5,658. The ring had inset emerald eyes and a black onyx nose, plus two original boxes.

A book titled David Hockney, A Bigger Book, published by Taschen (2016), a collector’s edition packed with pages of artworks by the renowned artist, on a tri-color metal and Plexiglas stand, achieved $3,690. The book, number 6905 of 10,000, was signed by Hockney on the frontpiece.

A Cartier 18K white gold 'Juste Un Clou' bangle bracelet, size 19, a hinge and clasp bracelet in the form of a nail, marked Cartier, with original box, exterior box and booklet, hit $4,305.

There were several surprising sleeper lots in the sale. One was an assortment of 18K gold and sterling charms by Tiffany & Co., Pink and Monica Rich Kosann. The group had a total approximate weight of 90 grams and sailed past its $300-$500 estimate to garner $1,599.

Another was the Hermes sterling silver Chain D'Ancre link bracelet with 14 links, stamped AG.925 with hallmarks, weighing 2.60421.ozt and 81 grams. The 9-inch long bracelet was listed in the auction catalog with an estimate of $500-$900, but it ended up settling at $1,599.

Lastly, and more whimsically, a contemporary blue metal dragon figure, 28 inches tall, in very good condition, was supposed to hammer for $75-$150, but bidders pushed that to $861.

Next up for Neue Auctions is the sale of the Charles Hartman & Associates Collection, Curated by Time & Taste on Friday, November 22nd; and an American & European Antiques auction on Friday, December 13th, both online-only, with start times of 12 o’clock noon EST.

To learn more about Neue Auctions and the firm’s calendar of upcoming auctions, please visit www.neueauctions.com. Updates are posted frequently. “Lately, Neue Auctions has been making videos of certain lots and posting them to Instagram and our YouTube channel, so bidders can have a better understanding of an item’s size, detail and sparkle,” Maciejewski said.