Historic Collection of Indian Jewels Goes on Sale

RAPAPORT... A collection of jewels detailing the story of Indiandiamonds over six centuries is set to go on sale for the first time. Approximately 35 pieces belonging to diamond dealerBenjamin Zucker will feature in an exhibition at Les Enluminures in New York,the gallery said Thursday. Many of the jewels have previously appeared at theWalters Art Museum in Baltimore, the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History inNew Haven, Connecticut, the Houston Museum of Art, and New York's MetropolitanMuseum of Art. "Put together over more than 45 years, this hugely rare andimmensely valuable collection...tells the story of the Indian diamond over aperiod of nearly 600 years, ending before the discovery of mines in Brazil, asource that displaced India and inaugurated a new age of diamonds," LesEnluminures explained. The sale follows a record-breaking auction of Indian jewels by Christie's. In June, the Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence sale, featuring a collection of jewelry and other valuable items spanning more than 500 years, garnered $109 million, the highest totalfor any auction containing Indian art. The sale will take place from October 24 to November 9. Image: The ring of Sultan Muhammad of Ghor, which will feature in the sale. (Les Enluminures)