On 7 June, Christie's will host a sale of the magnificent jewels of Anne Eisenhower (1949-2022) in New York. The jewellery collection of the interior designer, philanthropist and granddaughter of President Dwight D. Eisenhower brings together dreamlike pieces from the most renowned jewellers, including Tiffany & Co. and Cartier.
See also: How Van Cleef & Arpels Got Its Four-Leaf Clover
The absolute highlight of this spectacular offer is a bracelet from Van Cleef & Arpels that once belonged to Hollywood legend Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992) and was particularly dear to her.
See also: Marlene Dietrich: The Queen of Androgyny
Marlene Dietrich owned many glamorous pieces of jewellery, many of which she received as gifts from the men in her life. However, she commissioned this piece of jewellery from Van Cleef & Arpels herself in 1937, having been friends with Louis Arpels for many years. The platinum, ruby and diamond 'Jarretière' bracelet was a timeless yet eye-catching piece of jewellery, designed to resemble a garter clip (jarretière is French for 'garter').
Marlene loved her new bangle and wore it often. In 1950 it graced her wrist in Alfred Hitchcock's film noir Stage Fright, and she also wore it to the Oscars the following year.
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In the late 1970s, Marlene Dietrich withdrew completely from the public eye to her Paris apartment on Avenue Montaigne, which she never left until her death in 1992. Among the few pieces of jewellery she still owned at the time was the Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet, which was sold in the year she died for $990,000 to an anonymous bidder, who was later revealed to be Anne Eisenhower.
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Marlene Dietrich's favourite piece of jewellery is now being offered at auction again, and the estimate is no less spectacular than the bracelet itself: $2.5 - 4.5 million (£3 - 5.5 million).
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