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15 November 2011  |  World Wide   |  PRINT  |  PDF
For Immediate Release

RELEASE: THE COLLECTION OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR ONLINE: CHRISTIE'S ANNOUNCES A SEPARATE SALE OF HUNDREDS OF ITEMS OF FINE JEWELRY, FASHION, ACCESSORIES AND DECORATIVE ARTS IN A SPECIAL ONLINE-ONLY SALE DEC 3-17, 2011

MORE THAN 950 ITEMS UP FOR BID IN CHRISTIE’S FIRST EXCLUSIVELY ONLINE-ONLY SALE STARTING ESTIMATES  RANGE FROM $100 UP TO $10,000

SNEAK PEEK OF SALE HIGHLIGHTS AT LUXURY RETAILER MODA OPERANDI STARTS NOVEMBER 14

New York – Christie’s is pleased to announce details of a special, online-only component of this December’s landmark sales of more than 2,000 items from the highly-anticipated Collection of Elizabeth Taylor. Given the depth and breadth of this superb collection, Christie’s has identified over 950 items of fine and costume jewelry, designer fashion and accessories, and decorative arts and objects that will be offered in a special, two-week-long online-only sale that will run concurrent with the live auctions of this important collection. Since 2006, Christie’s has offered its clients the convenience of bidding online in real-time in all of its auctions worldwide, but the upcoming sales mark the first time that the storied auction house will host an exclusively online addition to a private collection.

The online sale complements four days of back-to-back live auctions of The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor that begin on December 13 with the film star’s most iconic jewels, and continues through December 16 with additional auctions of fine jewelry, fashion, accessories, decorative arts and film memorabilia. Impressionist and Modern Art from the Collection will be auctioned in London in February 2012 (see appendix for the complete sale schedule).

“At over 2,000 items strong, this is a collection of the highest caliber, from Elizabeth Taylor’s magnificent collection of one-of-a-kind historic jewels, to her haute couture and ready-to-wear fashions, and her exceptional collection of fine and decorative arts. To ensure the full breadth of the Collection is accessible to collectors worldwide, Christie’s has taken the innovative step of adding this special, online-only component to our live auctions, so that bidders from around the world can participate in this landmark two-week-long event,” said Marc Porter, Chairman and President of Christie‟s Americas.

“As the international tour of the collection’s highlights has shown us, thousands of people the world over have been genuinely moved by the legacy of Elizabeth Taylor and are eager to be a part of our New York event in December. The online-only sales provide an additional means for her legions of collectors and fans to participate in the auctions, no matter where they live.”

The carefully-curated selection of online fashion and accessories mirrors the incredible offering of top designer gowns, coats, capes, handbags and designer goods that will be featured in the live auction (see related fashion release), and includes more than 400 additional pieces from the houses of Chanel, Dior, Halston, Hermès, Oscar de la Renta, Tiziani, Valentino, and Yves Saint Laurent. Fashionistas and fans alike will be delighted by the scores of meticulously-maintained designer handbags, including 22 spectacular bags by Dior and Valentino and a range of luxury accessories by Cartier, Christian Louboutin, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Manolo Blahnik and Prada, among others.

Given the incredible depth of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry collection – dubbed “The Crown Jewels of Hollywood” – Christie’s has also hand-selected over 500 more pieces of fine and costume jewelry for the online-only sale, including exceptional Art Deco-era jewelry, and an array of signed jewels by Cartier, Chanel, Christian Dior, and Ruser, among others. This vast selection is reflective of Elizabeth Taylor’s lifelong love affair with jewelry in all its forms, from the most iconic of jewels featured in the live auctions of her legendary jewels on December 13 and 14 (see related jewelry release) to her many cherished “everyday” adornments of designer and costume earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings, and brooches. Starting estimates for the top jewels range from $10,000 for a diamond and 18K white gold necklace set with 126 circular-cut diamonds (pictured below), and as low as $100 for a pair of Chanel ear clips with the designer’s signature “CC” pendants.

Through a special engagement with the luxury fashion retailer, Moda Operandi, Christie’s will offer prospective shoppers a sneak peek at a selection of highlights from the online-only sale starting November 14 at shop.modaoperandi.com/ElizabethTaylor. Beginning November 18 the full 3 complement of online-only lots will be available for viewing at Christie’s website at www.christies.com/etonlineonly.

Starting December 3, interested bidders will be able to register online and begin placing bids for the lots of their choice in a timed auction that will run concurrent with the public exhibition and live auctions of The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor at Christie’s New York. For easy navigation, the online-only sale is divided into four categories – Fine Jewelry, Fashion & Accessories, Costume Jewelry, and Decorative Arts and Memorabilia. (See complete schedule of sale close dates – the last day upon which bidding will be permitted -- in the appendix.)

“We are honored to launch our first online-only sale with Elizabeth Taylor’s stunning collection, which has inspired such international interest since we first announced the sales in May,” said Michael O‟Neal, Senior Vice President and Director of Digital Media at Christie’s. “Through the innovation and commitment of our sale team here at Christie’s, we are delighted to expand on our many successful years of providing real-time online bidding in our live auctions, to now launch this additional online-only platform that will help us serve an even broader global audience of collectors and fans.”

Christie’s also recently announced ticket purchase information for the 10-day public exhibition of The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor at Christie’s flagship Rockefeller Plaza location. The New York exhibition will be the most expansive presentation of the Collection thus far, including selections from all of the major categories – jewels, fashion, fine art, film memorabilia and costumes, and decorative items. The exhibition includes a video tribute to Elizabeth Taylor’s life and legacy, and five richly illustrated catalogues of her collections and other commemorative publications will be available for purchase both online and on-site.

Tickets are on sale now at www.christies.com/elizabethtaylorviews (see instructions in appendix) at a fee of $30 per person. Tickets are available online only and must be purchased in advance for a specific time slot. For the best opportunity to secure their preferred dates and times of viewing, members of the public are encouraged to purchase tickets without delay.




About Christie’s
Christie’s, the world's leading art business, had global auction and private sales in 2011 that totaled £3.6 billion/$5.7 billion. Christie’s is a name and place that speaks of extraordinary art, unparalleled service and expertise, as well as international glamour. Founded in 1766 by James Christie, Christie's has since conducted the greatest and most celebrated auctions through the centuries providing a popular showcase for the unique and the beautiful. Christie’s offers over 450 auctions annually in over 80 categories, including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewellery, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. Prices range from $200 to over $100 million. Christie's also has a long and successful history conducting private sales for its clients in all categories, with emphasis on Post-War and Contemporary, Impressionist and Modern, Old Masters and Jewellery. Private sales totaled £502 million / $808.6m in 2011, an increase of 44% on the previous year.

Christie’s has a global presence with 53 offices in 32 countries and 10 salerooms around the world including in London, New York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Amsterdam, Dubai, Zürich, and Hong Kong. More recently, Christie’s has led the market with expanded initiatives in growth markets such as Russia, China, India and the United Arab Emirates, with successful sales and exhibitions in Beijing, Mumbai and Dubai.

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium and do not reflect costs, financing fees or application of buyer’s or seller’s credits.

Complete catalogue available online at www.christies.com or via Christie’s Mobile, iPhone, iPad and Android apps.
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