Madeleine Albright (pictured), secretary of state during the Clinton administration, was so well known for her “strategic” use of jewelry, particularly brooches, that she wrote a book about it, Read My Pins: Stories From a Diplomat’s Jewel Box.
Now some of those power pins and statement stones are headed to auction, with Freeman’s | Hindman set to host The Private Collection of Secretary Madeleine K. Albright sale on May 7 and 8. Albright passed away in March 2022.
“Madeleine Albright’s name and career are synonymous with reaching a pinnacle of female achievement,” said Gretchen Hause, the auction firm’s senior vice president, said in a statement. “Presenting her biography in objects at auction is a professional and personal honor, and will no doubt excite new generations of global citizens.”
In addition to jewelry, the Albright sale will include decorative objects in porcelain and silver, books, designer scarves and handbags, and antique furniture. The auction takes place live in New York on May 7 and online on May 8. A preview exhibition will be held May 2–6 in New York.
Bulgari “Fireworks” choker necklace in white gold with diamonds, estimate $12,000–$18,000
Albright served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during Bill Clinton’s first term, then broke barriers in 1997 by becoming the nation’s first female secretary of state. With an unwavering commitment to democracy and human rights, she advocated for America’s alliances, bolstered NATO, advanced nonproliferation efforts, and promoted free trade. Throughout her career, Albright selected brooches to wear to articulate her viewpoints. She donated a collection of her pins to the National Museum of American Diplomacy in Washington, D.C.
(Top portrait of Albright: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders/Contour RA via Getty Images. Jewelry photos courtesy of Freeman’s | Hindman)
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