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Lot Essay
Born on 19 February 1911, Estelle Merle O’Brien Thompson is better remembered by her stage name, Merle Oberon. Raised in Bombay and Calcutta during the height of the British Raj, Oberon kept her early life and South Asian heritage purposefully vague in an age of racial prejudice. She first came to be known for her striking beauty in the nightlife scene of Calcutta before sailing for Europe to try her fate at fame, first in the film studios of Nice, France and eventually moving to London in 1928, aged 17.
Oberon spent her first few years in London playing minor and unbilled roles in comedy ‘talkies’ at the dawn of the golden age of film. Seeing a thus far underappreciated dramatic talent, director Alexander Korda crafted the stage name Merle Oberon and cast her as Anne Boleyn in his 1933 film, ‘The Private Life of Henry VII’. As the film’s success quickly raised Oberon’s reputation as an actress with trans-Atlantic appeal, Oberon moved to America to conquer the Hollywood studios. The two roles which Oberon is best remembered for followed – first as Kitty Vane in ‘The Dark Angel’ (1935), for which she earned the Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, then for her portrayal of Cathy Earnshaw against Lawrence Olivier’s Heathcliff in ‘Wuthering Heights’ (1939).
Oberon’s passion as a jewelry collector first began through the Cartier jewels gifted to her by Korda upon their marriage in 1939. Using dazzling jewels to elevate her star power, Oberon filled her collection over the years with gifts from subsequent husbands, lovers and jewels bought for herself with her lucrative film earnings, favoring masterpieces from Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Harry Winston and David Webb. Oberon wore her personal jewels in several films, contributing to the costume design of her elegant characters in films such as ‘The Divorce of Madame X’ (1938), ‘’Til We Meet Again’ (1940) and ‘Of Love and Desire’ (1963).
After two decades of jewelry collecting, Oberon set out to update several of her jewels to suit her evolving style in the modern era. One such jewel was a ruby and diamond fringe-style necklace that Oberon asked David Webb to rework, ultimately transforming the jewel into the present lot. Purposefully mirroring the Duchess of Windsor’s famed Van Cleef & Arpels ‘Entrelac de Rubans’ necklace of cascading rubies and diamonds in the ribbon-style, Oberon’s updated necklace expresses a similar interplay of light from the alternating gemstones. Fond of transformable jewels, Oberon wore the necklace as a hairpiece to the 1965 ‘My Fair Lady’ costume ball held by Hélène Rochas in Paris.
After her passing on 23 November 1979, Christie’s was privileged to present in a dedicated auction of Important Jewels from the Estate of Merle Oberon. It was at this sale that Johnny and Joanna Carson acquired the present lot.
Oberon spent her first few years in London playing minor and unbilled roles in comedy ‘talkies’ at the dawn of the golden age of film. Seeing a thus far underappreciated dramatic talent, director Alexander Korda crafted the stage name Merle Oberon and cast her as Anne Boleyn in his 1933 film, ‘The Private Life of Henry VII’. As the film’s success quickly raised Oberon’s reputation as an actress with trans-Atlantic appeal, Oberon moved to America to conquer the Hollywood studios. The two roles which Oberon is best remembered for followed – first as Kitty Vane in ‘The Dark Angel’ (1935), for which she earned the Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, then for her portrayal of Cathy Earnshaw against Lawrence Olivier’s Heathcliff in ‘Wuthering Heights’ (1939).
Oberon’s passion as a jewelry collector first began through the Cartier jewels gifted to her by Korda upon their marriage in 1939. Using dazzling jewels to elevate her star power, Oberon filled her collection over the years with gifts from subsequent husbands, lovers and jewels bought for herself with her lucrative film earnings, favoring masterpieces from Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Harry Winston and David Webb. Oberon wore her personal jewels in several films, contributing to the costume design of her elegant characters in films such as ‘The Divorce of Madame X’ (1938), ‘’Til We Meet Again’ (1940) and ‘Of Love and Desire’ (1963).
After two decades of jewelry collecting, Oberon set out to update several of her jewels to suit her evolving style in the modern era. One such jewel was a ruby and diamond fringe-style necklace that Oberon asked David Webb to rework, ultimately transforming the jewel into the present lot. Purposefully mirroring the Duchess of Windsor’s famed Van Cleef & Arpels ‘Entrelac de Rubans’ necklace of cascading rubies and diamonds in the ribbon-style, Oberon’s updated necklace expresses a similar interplay of light from the alternating gemstones. Fond of transformable jewels, Oberon wore the necklace as a hairpiece to the 1965 ‘My Fair Lady’ costume ball held by Hélène Rochas in Paris.
After her passing on 23 November 1979, Christie’s was privileged to present in a dedicated auction of Important Jewels from the Estate of Merle Oberon. It was at this sale that Johnny and Joanna Carson acquired the present lot.