RELEASE: Christie's Luxury Week London Highlighted by Rare Wines and Spirits, Extraordinary Jewels and Exceptional Handbags
London – Christie’s London Luxury Week auctions from 5 to 12 June will present collectors with the very best in wines and spirits, extraordinary jewels from the leading jewellery houses and exceptional handbags from Chanel, Hermès and Louis Vuitton. Comprising four remarkable auctions, highlights of the week include a superb single-owner collection of fine Bordeaux, Burgundy and Italian wines, champagnes from the region’s leading producers, a suite of Himalaya Birkin and Vert Celadon Kelly, and rare antique and modern jewels. The week will conclude with the online sale of important Kashmir Shawls, open for bidding from 11 to 18 June. Perhaps the most significant collection of shawls ever to be offered at auction, these hand-woven, decorated Kashmir shawls date from the 17th to the late 19th century.
Finest and Rarest Wines | 5 and 6 June 2019
On the 5 and 6 June, Christie’s Luxury Week in London will open with a two-part auction of Finest & Rarest Wines. The first day will offer a single-owner collection of fine Bordeaux, Burgundy and Italian wines with impeccable provenance. Highlights include a case of Le Pin 1990 (estimate: £30,000-£40,000), a case of Petrus 1989 (estimate: £30,000-£40,000) and a six-bottle case of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, La Tache 1990 (estimate: £26,000-£32,000).
The second day will feature a significant offering of excellent vintage Bordeaux, alongside rare spirits including whiskies from great distilleries such as the Macallan 48 Year Old The Savoy 125th Anniversary (estimate: £40,000-60,000). The sale will also present two extraordinary 17th century bottles, the oldest Christie’s have ever brought to market. At a depth of 40 metres, divers discovered a decayed wreck and buried, deep in the mud in an old rattan basket, were 14 ancient bottles. One bottle broke in the recovery and one bottle was opened and tested. The laboratory results revealed it had been a powerful red wine, believed to have been bottled between 1670 and 1690.
The auction will offer fantastic champagnes direct from the cellars of four of the region’s finest producers; Henri Giraud, Bruno Paillard, Philipponnat and Jacques Selosse. Highlights include prestige cuvée Fût de Chêne Grand Cru from Henri Giraud and Bruno Paillard’s NPU, exceedingly rare Philipponnat’s Clos des Goisses from 1951, and Jacques Selosse from 1976. These rare and exciting cuvées will celebrate the release of a comprehensive map of Champagne and its vineyards from The Original Map Co and David Eley.
Handbags & Accessories | 11 June
Christie’s Handbags & Accessories auction on 11 June will feature over 240 of the most desirable, rare, and unusual handbags in the world. After the record-breaking sale of a Louis Vuitton Explorer Trunk achieved by Christie’s London in December 2018, the auction will offer ten rare trunks from Louis Vuitton and Goyard. These century-old artefacts recall a golden age of travel which continues to inspire leather-goods and luggage today, and reflect the growing demand for these rarities. For collectors of Hermès, highlights include a suite of Himalaya Birkin and Vert Celadon Kelly, representing the pinnacle of craftsmanship and exotic expertise. This is first time a Vert Celadon Kelly 25 has been offered at auction. New limited-editions appearing at auction include the Au Bout du Monde Constance and the Touch Birkin 25.
As a tribute to the great Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel creations from Monsieur Lagerfeld’s tenure at the great fashion house will be presented. His contributions to the brand include the CC turnlock clasp and whimsical runway creations, which are highly sought-after by handbag collectors season after season. With more designers than have been offered at auction before, including Prada, Dior, Gucci, Delvaux, Celine, Bottega Veneta, Fendi, Valextra, estimates range from £500 to £120,000.
Important Jewels | 12 June 2019
The Important Jewels sale on 12 June features a beautiful array of period and modern pieces ranging from £1,000 to £350,000. The sale will be highlighted by rare early jewels including a late 18th century diamond tiara, a rose-cut diamond bodice ornament, a suite of 18th century topaz jewels and a pair of elegant George III diamond ear pendants, as well as a number of jewels with noble provenance. The auction also presents fine coloured gems and diamonds, Art Déco jewels and a grouping of modern creations from the foremost jewellery maisons including Bulgari, Cartier, Graff, Harry Winston, Lacloche, Schlumberger, Tiffany and Van Cleef & Arpels amongst others.
An Important Private Collection of Kashmir Shawls | Online | 11 to 18 June
Christie’s Islamic and Indian Art Online presents an opulent collection of 85 hand-woven and intricately embroidered Kashmir shawls dating from the 17th to the late 19th century. Created from the finest fabric and woven in jewel-like colours, these shawls in long and square form display myriad designs, including the central ‘moon’ medallion, paisley motifs, botanical and geometric patterns, bold stripes, and a few rare examples with human figures, birds and animals. Estimates range from £1,000 to 12,000.
