The world of Heidi Horten: this is how Chrystie's prepares to present the unrivaled jewelry collection of the late lady at auction in May Heidi Horten (1941-2022). An extraordinary moment poised to eclipse Christie's previous record sales for The Elizabeth Taylor Collection (2011) and the auction Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence (2019), which are the only two jewelry collections to date to have achieved more than $100 million.
Collecting and philanthropy
Delivered by the Heidi Horten Estate and offered this May in Geneva, the Collection will be dedicated to philanthropy, in accordance with Ms. Horten's wishes: all proceeds from the auction will benefit the Heidi Horten Foundation, established in 2020 to support the museum of modern art and contemporary art which he founded in Vienna – the Heidi Horten Collection – as well as to finance medical research and other philanthropic activities, which he has supported for many decades.
The Heidi Horten Collection: The most important pieces offered for auction
- The beautiful diamond necklace Harry Winston 90-carat Briolette of India, originally sold by Cartier in 1909 (estimate upon request)
- A natural pearl necklace also by Harry Winston, highlighted by an 11-carat cushion-shaped pink diamond clasp (estimate US$ 7-10 million)
- THESunrise Ruby and Diamond ring 25-carat Cartier pendant, pigeon's blood color and exceptional purity (estimate US$ 15-20 million)
- A very important selection of Bulgari creations since the 70s to date, which traces more than fifty years of Italian craftsmanship of the company
- An exceptional diamond bracelet by Harry Winston (estimate $5-7 million)
- The Great Mughals Emerald Pendant Necklace by Harry Winston (estimate US$500.000-700.000).
Who was Heidi Horten: Passionate about art and social activities
Heidi Horten (née Jelinek) was born and raised in Vienna, Austria. She attended the Hospitality Management School of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and later worked as a secretary in a Viennese law firm. From an early age, Heidi Horten was exposed to objects of great beauty, first through her father, who was an engraver, and later during her first marriage (to Helmut Horten), as she began to sharpen her eye for jewelry. and the works of art. After Mr. Horten's death, Ms. Horten passionately devoted herself to fields as diverse as social work, sports and medical research, which she supported for decades. Beginning in the 90s, Ms. Horten began building her private collection of modern and contemporary art. His first significant independent art purchases were works by Moise Kiesling and Emmanuel Mané-Katz, acquired at an auction in Tel Aviv in 1994. His collection grew steadily over the next two decades and, in 2018, was unveiled for first time to the public when a selection of 175 works was presented at the Leopold Museum. Moved by the enormous success of the exhibition, Ms. Horten began planning the future of her works, establishing a permanent home for them at The Heidi Horten Collection, museum of modern art in Vienna. The unveiling took place on June 2, 2022, which Ms. Horten attended online, just ten days before her death.