M.S. Rau, the prestigious antiques dealer in New Orleans’ French Quarter, has acquired an extraordinary assortment of jewels once owned by the legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor.
Most of the pieces are unsigned but boast incredible gemstones and unique design elements representative of several different eras. A few hold deep significance in the story arc of Taylor’s life, such as a gold bracelet engraved with her children’s names (pictured below) that was a 40th birthday gift from her photographer Gianni Bozzacchi and hairstylist Claudy Ettori, both longtime friends of Dame Elizabeth.
Taylor’s treasures are now available from M.S. Rau in-store and online. Their sale presents a rare opportunity to collectors—to acquire impressive jewels that belonged to a celebrity and style icon (famous for her love of jewelry) through a retail channel. These kinds of aspirational jewelry items are far more likely to be sold at auction, so the chance to procure them “over the counter” is a win for any collector in terms of price point.
“With jewelry that has undisputed provenance and an A-list name like Elizabeth Taylor attached, there will always be huge demand,” says Bill Rau, owner of M.S. Rau. “Often at auction there will be bidding wars, which can drive the price up—the sky’s the limit depending on the buyer’s desire.”
Any auction would also carry a substantial buyer’s premium, which can be as much as 25% of the hammer price, according to Rau.
“Following the actress’ death in 2011, Christie’s put her jewelry on the auction block, garnering a total of nearly $116 million,” he says. “At M.S. Rau there is a set price that reflects the desirability and importance of the piece.”
How did Rau end up in possession of such precious cargo? Kathy Ireland, the 1980s/1990s supermodel–turned–entrepreneur, was introduced to Rau through a mutual friend familiar with the dealer’s reputation for selling important fine jewelry. Taylor had entrusted a large portion of her collection to Ireland, who was her dear friend and mentee, according to M.S. Rau.
The headliner of the group is a Medusa brooch by René Lalique (above) that Richard Burton purchased for Taylor in the late 1960s or early 1970s. This art nouveau design has the mythical figure’s face carved in rich blue-green crystal. As a final touch, Lalique added an 18.35 mm baroque pearl pendant to gracefully elongate the overall design.
Burton, an acting legend himself and twice Taylor’s husband, was considered a true jewelry connoisseur, both knowledgeable and deeply interested in the history of the rare jewels he bought. In the 2002 book Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair With Jewelry, Taylor recalled the couple’s mutual fascination with this brooch: “Richard loved this because it is a rare antique and has a hypnotic quality. It’s an amazingly magical piece.”
“Amazingly magical” sounds about right. More of that ahead.
Top: Edwardian opal pendant with diamonds in 14k white gold, $98,500
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