Five Must-Have Jewels from the Upcoming Julien's/TCM Auction
- Laurie Brookins
- 23 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Claire Trevor's pearl necklaces in Key Largo and a pair of earrings Audrey Hepburn wore in Sabrina are among the lots in the December 9 sale.
Founded by Eugene Joseff in 1928, Burbank-based Joseff of Hollywood has crafted costume jewels for many of cinema's most iconic classic films, and this month fans will have a chance to own some of those designs, thanks to the latest auction presented by Julien's and Turner Classic Movies.
Dozens of bracelets, brooches, earrings, necklaces, rings and more will be sold during "Hollywood Legends: Joseff of Hollywood," the December 9 auction at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills, from films that include Sabrina, Gilda, Gone With the Wind, Key Largo, The Heiress, Macao — and that's just for starters. The sale kicks off a four-day event that represents the latest partnership between Los Angeles-based Julien's and Turner Classic Movies, which have been presenting events focused on film memorabilia since May 2022. Following the December 9 sale, Julien's and TCM will present "Hollywood Legends: Classic Hollywood" on December 10, while lots from filmmakers including David Lynch will go on the block at "Hollywood Legends: Contemporary Hollywood" on December 11-12.
Amid such a bounty of options, the Joseff of Hollywood jewels represent some of the most stylish and memorable moments seen onscreen. Here's a look at five lots sure to garner intense interest among fans of fashion and classic film:
Lot #28: Earrings from 1954's Sabrina
Audrey Hepburn was already a star when Sabrina premiered in 1954, having already captured the best actress Academy Award for 1953's Roman Holiday — but it was Sabrina that cemented Hepburn's status as a style icon.
The now-famous story of Hepburn meeting Hubert de Givenchy in Paris prior to Sabrina's production, an event that led to their lifelong friendship and her decades-long position as his muse, is among the best-known stories of Hollywood and costume design. That includes the much-discussed details of Edith Head, Sabrina's official costume designer, taking credit for Givenchy's designs for the film, up to and including her acceptance of the Oscar for best costume design for a black-and-white film at the 1955 Academy Awards. Fold all the elements together, and it's no surprise that these earrings are among the most-watched items in the December 9 sale.
Crafted of two faux teardrop-shape pearls with clear crystals above each pearl in a floral pattern, all set in gold-plated metal, these clip-on earrings measure 1.5 inches long by .5 inches wide. They carry an auction estimate of $2,000 to $3,000, with the current online bid up to $1,500 with seven days remaining until the live sale. It's a safe bet these earrings, from a beloved classic film, will exceed their estimate.
Claire Trevor won the best supporting actress Oscar for her role in 1948's Key Largo, in which she plays the sad alcoholic girlfriend of gangster Johnny Rocco, played by Edward G. Robinson. Throughout much of the film, Trevor is seen in the same costume by Leah Rhodes, which is accessorized with Joseff of Hollywood jewels that include a pair of multistrand faux pearl necklaces, including the three-strand necklace of gold-plated beads seen at left.
The 17.5-inch necklace is accented with a decorative clasp and carries an auction estimate of $800 to $1,200, though as of December 2 it had only attracted two bids and was up to $50. The second necklace seen in the image at the top of this story is also up for auction, a 14-inch choker of two strands of faux cream-colored pearls with a sterling silver clasp accented with clear crystals; that piece also reportedly was worn by Norma Shearer in 1938's Marie Antoinette, imbuing it with a provenance that should delight many costume-design fans. That piece also carries an auction estimate of $800 to $1,200, and as of December 2 had reached a bid of $75.
Lot #304: Marlene Dietrich Cocktail Ring from Angel
Travis Banton and Marlene Dietrich created some spectacular style moments during their work together in the 1930s, a couture level of design often noted for Banton's deft use of embellishments, from the feathers that adorned a dress he created for 1932's Shanghai Express to the richly embroidered gowns Dietrich wore in 1937's Angel, directed by Ernst Lubitsch. (One of those gowns recently was included in the Swarovski 130th-anniversary exhibition in Los Angeles in October; if that event comes to your city, don't miss it.)
Among the Joseff of Hollywood jewels worn by Dietrich in Angel is this cocktail ring that highlights an oversized blue cabochon-cut stone, set in silverplate metal that's adjustable to fit every finger. The ring carries an auction estimate of $1,500 to $2,000, and by December 2 was up to $200 in online bids.
Lot #166: Brooch worn by Olivia de Havilland in The Heiress
A handful of Joseff of Hollywood jewels worn by Olivia de Havilland in select films are featured in the sale, including pieces the actress wore in The Great Garrick and Anthony Adverse. But among these titles, it's likely that none is more beloved by fans than 1949's The Heiress, for which de Havilland won the Academy Award for best actress.
Edith Head also designed the costumes for The Heiress and took home the first of her eight Oscars, out of 35 nominations, for her work. Both Oscar totals, notably, are records for a woman; Head was eclipsed by Walt Disney, who won 26 Oscars out of 59 nominations. Joseff of Hollywood provided the jewels to accompany Head's Oscar-winning designs, including this brooch included in the December 9 sale, crafted of bronze-toned metal in a pearl-embellished scroll design accented with fringe-like pieces that dangle and finish with additional faux pearls.
Measuring 3.75 x 1.25 inches, the brooch carries an auction estimate of $800 to $1,000 and as of December 2 was up to $400 in online bids.
Lot #233: Cuff bracelet worn by Jane Russell in Macao
Film fans would be hard-pressed to find a more seductive couple in the 1950s than Jane Russell and Robert Mitchum, who starred together twice, in 1951's His Kind of Woman and a year later in Macao. Directed by Josef von Sternberg, Macao tells the story of Mitchum's Nick Cochran and Russell's Julie Benton, who trade barbs upon first meeting aboard the ferry from Hong Kong to the film's exotic titular locale.
Surrounded by intrigue and a variety of nefarious characters — including a stunning Gloria Grahame, who plays a woman not happy about Russell's arrival on her turf. Indeed, Russell is at her sultry finest in costumes by Michael Woulfe, who outfitted the star in dresses and gowns that conveyed her confidence and sex appeal in equal measure. The strength of her character is likewise communicated through bold jewels, including this wide cuff bracelet, crafted in gold-plated metal with a side clasp.
Carrying an auction estimate of $1,000 to $2,000, the bracelet was up to $400 in online bids as of December 2.
For these and other Joseff of Hollywood pieces, explore the sale at juliensauctions.com.
