Large Fire Opal Cabochon--"A Member of the 100 Carats Club"
Brazil
A particularly large example for this region, this well-polished, translucent deep orange cabochon of fire opal exhibits iridescent flashes of color within. Suitable for use either as a cabinet piece or for mounting as a brooch this is an impressive stone by any standard. Weighing approximately 228.5 carats and measuring 55.0 x 35.0 x 21.0mm
Provenance: Purchased from Bonhams, May 27, 2010, Sale 18252, lot 1431.
GLORIA MANNEY
Every curator, dealer and auctioneer who has met Gloria Manney called her "one of a kind" or said, "they don't make 'em like her anymore." She was a voracious collector with a style, intelligence, curiosity, courage and point of view all her own.
Along with her husband, Richard Manney, they researched and collected an amazing array of material culture and built entire markets for objects by aiding scholars in their work, including rare books and 18th and 19th Century fine and decorative arts. Their collections included the greatest assemblages of American portrait miniatures and American colonial goldsmithing, both now at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Their furniture resides at Winterthur, The Met and The Art Institute of Chicago.
But above all the objects in their lives, Opals were Gloria's first and foremost passion from childhood. They were her birthstone, her playthings, and her favorite adornment. No opal passed her by, as she believed every opal needed a home. A magpie by nature, their beauty entranced her. Gloria worked with dealers and auctioneers around the world to find opals. And the opals found her.
View it on
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
Brazil
A particularly large example for this region, this well-polished, translucent deep orange cabochon of fire opal exhibits iridescent flashes of color within. Suitable for use either as a cabinet piece or for mounting as a brooch this is an impressive stone by any standard. Weighing approximately 228.5 carats and measuring 55.0 x 35.0 x 21.0mm
Provenance: Purchased from Bonhams, May 27, 2010, Sale 18252, lot 1431.
GLORIA MANNEY
Every curator, dealer and auctioneer who has met Gloria Manney called her "one of a kind" or said, "they don't make 'em like her anymore." She was a voracious collector with a style, intelligence, curiosity, courage and point of view all her own.
Along with her husband, Richard Manney, they researched and collected an amazing array of material culture and built entire markets for objects by aiding scholars in their work, including rare books and 18th and 19th Century fine and decorative arts. Their collections included the greatest assemblages of American portrait miniatures and American colonial goldsmithing, both now at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Their furniture resides at Winterthur, The Met and The Art Institute of Chicago.
But above all the objects in their lives, Opals were Gloria's first and foremost passion from childhood. They were her birthstone, her playthings, and her favorite adornment. No opal passed her by, as she believed every opal needed a home. A magpie by nature, their beauty entranced her. Gloria worked with dealers and auctioneers around the world to find opals. And the opals found her.
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
Similar Items
