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Chanel Gripoix glass necklace and brooch, $3,000 – $5,000
Christie’s
A dedicated online auction of Chanel costume jewels owned by Susan Gutfreund will be held January 14 – 29 by Christie’s. The jewels were collected in the 1980s and 1990s, during what is arguably Karl Lagerfeld’s most important period with the French fashion house. Many if not all of the jewels are handmade one-of-a-kind pieces created in Lagerfeld’s vision specifically for his Chanel runway shows.
Important Chanel set of Gripoix glass and faux pearl jewelry, $4,000-6,000
Christie’s
The online sale is part the landmark auction of “The Collection of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Gutfreund 834 Fifth Avenue,” being held in January.
Christie’s says Susan and John Gutfreund were close to Lagerfeld, the iconic creative director of Chanel who died in 2019. He personally gave some or all of the jewels to the couple over the years. The auction house also says the jewels “provide a glimpse into the golden era of Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel.”
Auction estimates for the pieces range from $200 to $6,000 and the entire sale could fetch upwards of $163,000.
Chanel faux pearl necklace and bracelet, $3,000 – 5,000
Christie’s
John Gutfreund was an American banker, businessman and investor. He was the CEO of Salomon Brothers, an investment bank that gained prominence in the 1980s. Gutfreund turned the bank from a private partnership into a publicly traded corporation. In 1985, Business Week gave him the nickname “King of Wall Street.”
Important Chanel oversized glass and stone set bird brooch, $3,000 – $5,000
Christie’s
Susan (maiden name Kaposta) Gutfreund, a former Pan Am flight attendant, was married to John Gutfreund from 1981 until his death in 2016. The couple was known for charitable activities and contributions, and they were a fixture in the New York and Paris social scenes with their stylish homes in both cities. The couple was also consumed by controversy, which brought their lavish lifestyle to the forefront. John Gutfreund was driven from Wall Street in 1991 after he and other Salomon executives failed to report illegal bids in the Treasury securities market. He settled potential charges of fraud by paying a fine and agreeing never to manage another securities firm.
Unsigned Chanel pair of fabric and leather cuffs, $1,500 – $2,000
Christie’s
Susan Gutfreund has a deep appreciation of French culture that extended to a love of couture and in particular designs from the house of Chanel, Christie’s said in a statement. She was a friend to many of the most celebrated couturiers. She “shared a close friendship with Lagerfeld” who presented her with “an incredible selection of costume jewelry made for the Chanel runway,” Christie’s said. “Intricately designed and incredibly rare, these unique jewels are pieces of fashion history created as part of a vision for Lagerfeld’s iconic years at the helm of Chanel.” Many of the pieces are prototypes that have never been offered for sale or seen by the public.
Important unsigned Chanel oversized faux pearl and resin earrings, $3,000 – $5,000
Christie’s
“For collectors and enthusiasts of the house of Chanel, this online sale comprises perhaps the greatest single owner collection of Lagerfeld era Chanel jewelry to ever be presented at auction,” Claibourne Poindexter, specialist for Christie’s Jewels, said in a statement. “These jewels provide a window into the world of haute couture in the 1980s and 1990s, representing a time where fashion could be over the top in the greatest way possible.”
Chanel faux pearl and rhinestone brooch, $2,000 – $3,000
Christie’s
As previously mentioned, the sale of Chanel costume jewels are part of a larger auction of the contents of the couple’s 20-room Upper East Side apartment designed by French interior designer, Henri Samual. The centerpiece of the apartment is the Winter Garden salon “where objects with prolific histories, incomparable provenances and refined taste all intermingled,” Christie’s said.
Unsigned chanel set of three velvet cuff bracelets, $1,000 – $1,500
Christie’s
The sale of the costume jewels, along with the sale of the decorative arts and furniture from their New York apartment on 5th Avenue could achieve $7 million. The other sales are as follows:
* The Collection of Mr. & Mrs. John H. Gutfreund 834 Fifth Avenue live auction will be held January 26 and 27;
* The Art of Entertaining: The Collection of Mr. & Mrs. John H. Gutfreund 834 Fifth Avenue will be held online, January 14 – 28; and
* Selections from The Library of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Gutfreund 834 Fifth Avenue will be held online, January 14 – 29.