"Bathtub" Watch Steals Show at Shirley Bassey Sale
October 21, 24(IDEX Online) - A collection of more than 80 items belonging to Dame Shirley Bassey sold for $2.4m at Sotheby's Paris, as part of its Fine Jewels auction.
The 87-year-old Welsh singer, who was the voice of three James Bond theme songs, is donating proceeds from the auction - $120,00 more than the overall high estimate - to charity.
The biggest surprise of the sale was a plain lady's Cartier Baignoire gold wristwatch that fetched $72,000 - 22 times its $3,200 high estimate.
The Baignoire takes its name the French word for "bathtub", and although it's been a popular since it was introduced in 1912, the design has rarely commanded high prices.
Among other highlights of the Shirley Bassey collection, a vintage Van Cleef and Arpels diamond ring of cluster design with brilliant-cut diamonds (1960s) gifted to her by Sir Elton John sold for $52,000, more than three times its high estimate.
A vintage diamond brooch designed as an openwork bow and decorated with foliate motifs and suspending tassels (circa 1905) sold for $176,00, almost five its high estimate.
And a Van Cleef and Arpels emerald and diamond necklace with detachable pendant bought by Dame Shirley for herself to commemorate her very first Royal Variety Performance in front of the late Queen sold for $189,000, more than twice its high estimate.
The entire sale - of which the Bassey collection was a part - achieved a total of just over $7m. Sotheby's said just over half of all lots sold sold above their high estimate and nearly 94 per cent sold for above their low estimate.
Pic shows the Cartier Baignoire watch.