Revealed in all its glittering glory: Elizabeth Taylor's 100m collection of gems, gowns and art
She was renowned for her impeccable taste in jewellery, and over her lifetime amassed a dazzling collection worth a staggering 20million. Many of the pieces were designed by Taylor herself, in partnership with her favoured jewellery, Cartier.
Some were gifts from her seven husbands, some from wealthy admirer, and many of her gems have great historic value. One, La Peregrina pearl, is widely considered to be one of the most important pearls in the world. The pear-shaped piece dates from the 16th century, and once belonged to King Phillip II of Spain, and later to his daughters Elizabeth and Margaret.
Taylor's first husband Richard Burton won it in an auction and gave it as a gift to Taylor, who worked with Cartier to have it hung on a diamond and ruby necklace.
Elizabeth Taylor's lavish gem collection is to go on display tomorrow, including the Cartier ruby and diamond suite, given to her by third husband Mike Todd, pictured right
The necklace will be unveiled tomorrow with dozens more of Elizabeth Taylor's gems. Along with the impressive hoard of treasures amassed by the Hollywood legend will be lavish gowns and art by greats such as Van Gogh and Degas.
! The tota l collection - given an estimated total value of close to 100m - will go on display in the UK for the first time tomorrow in a three-day exhibition opening at Christie's London.
Stoppingoff as part of a three-month global tour, the Elizabeth Taylor collection - which attracted 6,000 visitors when previewed in Moscow earlier this month - is being unveiled in the run-up to a much-anticipated December auction held in New York, where all the pieceswill be sold.
Fans of the Oscar-winning actress, who died of heart failure aged 79 earlier this March, will have the opportunity to view the vast array of items taken from her Bel Air estate.
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Top pieces include the Elizabeth Taylor diamond, La Peregrina pearl once owned by Englands Queen Mary I, dresses from leading designers including Versaceand Chanel and rare works of art by the likes of Van Gogh and Renoir.
A total of 269 pieces from her jewellery collection will be auctioned while 400 fashion items spanning over 50 years of Taylor's life will also be sold off.
Left: La Peregrina pearl, won by Richard Burton at auction and made into necklace by Elizabeth Taylor with Cartier is set to fetch up to 2m ($3m)
Jewellery and fashion items will go under the hammer over a four-day sale in New York this December. Left, a ruby and diamond ring by Van Clef & Arpels; right, the Ping Pong diamond ring
A gift from Richard: A sapphire and diamond Sautoir by Bulgari, 1969 a gift from Richard Burton for Elizabeth Taylor's 40th birthday in 1972 has an estimate of 400,000 to 600,000
Flamboyant: Almost 6,000 people vi! ewed the wares when they were exhibited alongside other items of jewellery and fine art, at Moscow's GUM shopping centre on Red Square. Right, Versace beaded evening bolero, 'Queen Elizabeth', by Atelier Versace, with rhinestone and beadwork portraits of Elizabeth I, $15,000 to $20,000
A 1990s Valentino red velvet and satin ballgown with scarlet and beaded satin evening bag has an estimate of 2,000 to 3,200 while a Chanel ballgown, cape, shoes and clutch bag are set to go for 4,000 to 5,000 (right)
Elizabeth Taylor's Tiziana kimono worn for the 1968 film Boom
Many of the gowns in Taylor's collection were designed by Versace, who became a friend
One of the lavish black gowns from her personal collection
Glittering star: Along with her raven-hair, Elizabeth Taylor was well-known for the fabulous collection of jewels
Marc Porter, chairman of Christie's Americas, said: 'This is without a doubt the greatest private collectionof jewellery ever assembled in one place, and Christie's is honoured tohave been entrusted with the global tour of the collection this fall, and the sale of the collection in its entirety this December.'
Her famous jewellery and fashion items will go under the hammer over a four-day sale in New York this December,while her art will be auctioned in London next February.
An early estimate valued the entire collection at 94 million.
But it is likely that prices will soar well above pre-sale estimates as did with previous items of memorabilia belonging to celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Onassis.
It is her extensive jewellery collection that has caused the greatest excitement. Leading the gala evening sale of 89 top lots on December 13 and 14 is Taylors iconic, 33.19-carat white diamond ring, a 1968 gift from her husband Richard Burton after the actor purchased it at au! ction fo r $300,000 (194,000)
The trustees of Taylors estate have renamed it The Elizabeth Taylor Diamond, and it is estimated to fetch between 1.57million and 2.19million.
The 14th-century La Peregrina pearl, is estimated to sell for 1.25million to 1.88million.
Highlights from Taylor's art collection, include the 1889 Vincent Van Gogh painting Vue De L'Asile Et De La Chapelle De Saint-Remy, which is expected to fetch up to 7 million and a rare self-portrait by Edgar Degas, with a pre-sale estimate of 450,000.
Expected to fetch 60,000: An antique diamond tiara, a gift from her third husband Mike Todd
Dazzling: The Elizabeth Taylor 33.19-carat white diamond ring (left) and The Taj Mahal diamond a gift from Richard Burton, for Elizabeth Taylor's 40th birthday (right)
For lower priced items there will be an online auction featuring moderately valued pieces with registration and bidding starting on Decemeber 3.
! After Lo ndon the tour will move to Los Angeles, Dubai, Geneva, Paris, Hong Kong before finally closing at the Rockefeller Plaza in New York.
The UK exhibition, which runs until Monday at the auctioneers on King Street, opens tomorrow and in keeping with the actresss humanitarian work, a portion of the 10 admission price will go to the Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation, founded in 1991.
For more information visit: www.christies.com
The Bulgari Emerald Suite is expected to fetch 975,000 ($1.5m) for the necklace, 450,000 ($700,000) for the pendant, 520,000 for the ring ($800,000), 325,000 ($500,000) for the bracelet, and 130,000 ($200,000) for the ring
Highlights from Taylor's art collection, include the 1889 Vincent Van Gogh painting Vue De L'Asile Et De La Chapelle De Saint-Remy, which is expected to fetch up to 7 million
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