The queen of department stores is asking (posthumously) for an exclusive sale.
During her lifetime, Heidi Horten (1941-2022) was one of the most glamorous women of her generation: In 2018, Forbes estimated her fortune at $3 billion at the time. At the side of entrepreneur Helmut Horten (1909-1987) she achieved prosperity and recognition – and one of the most spectacular jewel collections. Value: around 135.7 million euros!
Heidi and Helmut Horten were married until his death in 1987
Now the Horten treasure is being auctioned off in Vienna.
Among the exhibits many spectacular exhibits. The “Briolette of India” diamond (90.38 carats) was owned by several kings (e.g. Richard the Lionheart and Henry II of France). In the 20th century it was owned by the noble jewelers Cartier and Henry Winston, among others, until it finally ended up in the collection of Heidi Horten.
Heidi Horten 1999 at the Salzburg Festival
Extremely glamorous: just a few of the seven exhibits being auctioned off by “Christie’s” in Vienna
The Austrian head of the auction house Christie’s announced: “It is the largest private collection of jewels in the world that has ever been auctioned.” A total of 700 exhibits come under the hammer. One of the historical highlights: a pearl by Marie Antoinette (1755–1793).
The cheapest exhibits start at around 5000 euros. A ruby worth EUR 18 million ranked first.
Expect nothing less than the biggest auction ever, set to eclipse even Elizabeth Taylor’s jewel collection auction!
Nine months after the death of Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011), Christie’s auctioned off the film icon’s jewelry in New York. At that time, the auction reached $116 million – the largest auction ever! A showpiece: The 33 carat diamond (formerly “Krupp Diamond”) was sold for 8.8 million dollars. Richard Burton (1925-1984) put it under his Liz’s Christmas tree in 1968.
Elizabeth Taylor loved her diamonds at least as much as Richard Burton
The proceeds from the Horten auction will go to Heidi Horten’s private foundation, which finances clinical research, among other things.
What was the Horten concern?
Helmut Horten (1909–1987) founded his department store group in 1936. He benefited from the Nazi dictatorship because he took over several department stores from formerly Jewish property, including one in Duisburg. Other houses were added in East and West Prussia.
After the war, Horten had to answer before the “denazification committee” but was acquitted in 1948. In the course of the economic miracle, his company grew rapidly. In 1972 he finally withdrew from the company and sold it for 1.2 billion Deutschmarks at the time.
The Bulgari chain is made to measure. It combines diamonds, sapphires and emeralds
Bulgari’s emerald necklace (weighing around 400 grams) is comparatively cheap. Estimated value: 305,000 euros
