An extraordinary event took place at Bonhams Auction House in Hollywood as Dianne Feinstein’s personal jewelry collection went under the hammer. The 12-hour auction featured a wide range of art and jewelry pieces amassed over her forty-year-long career in public service. The collection managed to fetch up a whopping 1.85 million dollars.
Feinstein started her remarkable political career in 1966 when Edmund Brown was appointed the Governor. She then served as a mayor of San Francisco and even witnessed the tragic assassinations of Harvey Milk and George Moscone in 1978. By 2018, she was ranked tenth on the official list of the wealthiest senators, with an approximate net worth of 58 million dollars.
On December 4, 1978, in San Francisco, California, Chief Justice Rose Bird (left) administered the oath of office to Dianne Feinstein after she was officially elected mayor by the Board of Supervisors. AP Photo
Dianne was always fascinated with fine jewelry and art. By the age of 90, she managed to accumulate some unthinkable treasures. Some of the highlight pieces featured at the auction were a freshwater pearl necklace, a half-century-old gold rose petal set and an antique sapphire berry brooch by Tiffany & Co.
The auction house noted that some of the bids have performed surprisingly well and yielded much more money than expected. For example, a platinum and diamond ring fetched up 108,450 dollars, which has doubled the expected estimate. An 18k gold Cartier wristwatch that sold for almost 9,000 dollars also stole the spotlight by ten times outperforming its pre-sale estimate.
Feinstein’s art collection was also a success. For instance, the oil painting Ships Sailing in the San Francisco Bay with Fort Point in the Distance dating to the beginning of the last century has sold for over 229,000 dollars.The senator’s personal desk plaque went up for almost 4,000 dollars, which is over 25 times higher than the house’s initial estimate, while a piece of the Berlin Wall fetched up about 3,500 dollars.
Speaking of political memorabilia, there were quite a few pieces that caught bidders’ attention. Of course, the most notable item was a picture of Joe Biden, inscribed by the President himself.
Overall, the Legacy of a Stateswoman Sale included 278 lots and shattered previous Bonhams records. The event attracted the highest number of registered participants for a U.S. auction and was the company’s most fruitful global sale in over a decade.
California residents showed the strongest interest in the sale, accounting for around 70% of the bidders. Some were first-time buyers looking to propose the highest bid for the senator’s possessions. According to Victoria R. Gray, Bonhams’ Deputy Chairman, “this overwhelming interest signifies Feinstein’s deep impact on California.” The auction house is incredibly honored to host such an event, celebrating the life of a remarkable politician who had gone through three residencies and made a lasting impression in the hearts of citizens.
A prominent auction is being held from the estate of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein. A video report and review from NBC Bay Area.
On a more personal and somber note, some of Dianne’s family members expressed their mixed feelings about the auction. Katherine Feinstein (the senator’s daughter) wishes that her family would never auction off her possessions to strangers after her passing. At the very least, she now finds consolation in thinking that her mother’s things wound up in the hands of those who care about them and genuinely appreciate the senator’s legacy. Willie Brown, a close friend of the deceased, said that Dianne herself might not have approved of such a sale had she been alive. Despite the strongly mixed feelings of Dianne’s inner circle, one can confidently say that the auction was a financial success. Whether it was a moral success remains a matter of your personal judgment.
