Jewellery collection found in a Worcestershire attic goes to auction, Country Life reports

Jewellery found in a Worcestershire attic goes to auction

A collection of antique and vintage jewellery found in a Worcestershire attic was offered at auction on Wednesday 21 October, Country Life reported in "From dusty attic to auction room: The forgotten family jewels about to make a fortune" (external source).

Country Life said the collection was rediscovered during a routine clear out. It had been kept in the attic for decades and spans more than two centuries of jewellery design.

The collection

According to Country Life, most of the jewellery is Art Deco in design. It named a Cartier diamond bow and Egyptian Revival diamond brooches among the highlights. The bow was described as crafted in yellow gold and silver and set throughout with old-cut and rose-cut stones, dating to 1905.

The report also mentioned an Edwardian diamond devant-de-corsage and a group of Victorian animal brooches, among them a charging bull with a ruby eye, a donkey, a partridge, a fox, a greyhound and a sea gull. It said animal jewellery was hugely popular in the 19th century.

Sold as one collection

Country Life said the collection was started by the grandmother of the present owners, and that later members of the family are believed to have added to it. It gave a six-figure total pre-sale estimate. It was offered by Elmwood’s auctioneers as a whole, and the report did not give the result.

Joe Kendrick, head of sales at Elmwood’s, was quoted as saying "It is rare to encounter such a fine and cohesive selection of jewels from this period that has remained together", "allowing us to appreciate the collection as a whole, rather than as individual pieces".