NEW YORK – Freeman’s | Hindman sold a portion of The Private Collection of Secretary Madeleine K. Albright on May 7 and 8 reaching more than quadruple its pre-sale estimate. All lots in the live and online sales found a buyer, with pieces fetching as much as 20 times their pre-sale estimates. The sale featured a diverse set of items ranging from designer pieces to costume jewelry and small keepsakes. More than 1,000 bidders registered for the sales and over 37% were first-time clients to Freeman’s | Hindman.
“It was a privilege to serve as the auction house of choice for this prestigious collection,” says Gemma Sudlow, EVP, Managing Director, New York Region. “Secretary Madeleine K. Albright remains an inspiration: her life of service, leadership, and ‘firsts’ was encapsulated in the broad range of property offered and excited a global audience of collectors. We are particularly delighted with the results for her jewelry and pins for which she was so celebrated.”
Similarly, Gretchen Hause, SVP, Co-Head of the Books and Manuscripts department, indicates: “Presenting Secretary Madeleine K. Albright’s biography in objects at auction has been a profound professional honor. Her remarkable legacy of diplomatic service and trailblazing accomplishments are mirrored in each item of her fine collection, and the global interest it has garnered speaks volumes about her impact on the world stage.”
The property offered by Freeman’s | Hindman presented the rare opportunity for collectors to obtain pieces from the private collection of one of the most important women in American history. Madeleine K. Albright was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in 1993 and shattered a glass ceiling when she was sworn in as the nation’s first female Secretary of State in 1997, becoming at the time the highest serving woman in the history of the United States government.
A “Diplomatic Arsenal” of Jewelry
Secretary Albright’s love of jewelry was legendary. To Secretary Albright, jewelry could be so much more than a fashion statement—it could be a subtle, or sometimes not so subtle, form of diplomacy. She famously referred to her extensive brooch collection as her “personal diplomatic arsenal.” It was no surprise, then, that Secretary Albright’s jewelry attracted great interest. This included the collection’s top lot, a Bulgari white gold and diamond ‘Fireworks’ choker necklace (Lot 17) that doubled its estimate to realize $24,130.
As expected, Secretary Albright’s renowned pin collection was the true highlight of the sale as bidders were eager to bring home a small part of her illustrious career. Highlights include:
A Diamond, Ruby, and Sapphire Patriotic Leopard Pendant/Brooch (Lot 4) featuring an American flag sold for four times its estimate for $10,795.
A Collection of Suffragette Themed Jewelry (Lot 2) that realized $6,985, or nearly ten times its $700-900 estimate. The ‘Jailed for Freedom’ pins included in the lot were awarded to suffragettes who were imprisoned after picketing in front of the White House in 1917, while green, white, and violet were worn by suffragettes as a constant reminder to “Give Women the Vote.”
A Yellow Gold, Cultured Pearl and Corn Husk Pin (Lot 39) that was given to the Secretary by her former chief of staff as a 75th birthday gift, realized $6,985 against a $500-700 estimate.
In a nod to her native Czechoslovakia and emblematic of her wisdom, an elegant Art Nouveau Silver and Enamel Owl Pin (Lot 25) based on the designs of Alphonse Mucha sold for nearly 20 times estimate for $6,033.
Given the large and important role that jewelry played in her diplomacy, Secretary Albright’s Burlwood Standing Jewelry Box (Lot 49) from her Georgetown home commanded robust interest. This jewelry box that was used to hold her “diplomatic arsenal” and other cherished pins, necklaces, and bracelets collected throughout her life fetched $8,890, or 22 times the $400-600 estimate.
Rare Items from the Personal Office and Library of Madeleine Albright
Of the diplomatic and political memorabilia included in the auction and prominently displayed in her office, a set of painted nesting dolls of Soviet political leaders (Lot 55) drew significant attention, easily surpassing its $100-200 estimate to sell for $5,398. These animated nesting dolls serve as a reminder of Madeleine Albright’s profound ties to Eastern Europe, as she reflected, “Although I had become an American, I couldn’t separate myself from the struggles in Europe…the Cold War struggle was very real to me, and I followed events closely.”
Additional highlights include:
A First Edition of Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy (Lot 77), inscribed on the title page by President Clinton to Madeleine Albright with “To Madeleine with thanks Bill” realized $2,858 against a pre-sale estimate of $300-400.
A Collection of Thirteen Writing Instruments (Lot 112), including numerous commemorative Presidential and limited-edition pens sold for $4,763 against an estimate of $200-300.
A Set of Twelve Wedgwood Plates with Landscapes of Wellesley College (Lot 109) reflected Madeleine Albright’s affection for her alma mater and her gratitude for the friends she made there sold for over 15 times the estimate for $3,175.
Iconic Outfits, Trailblazing Style
Like her jewelry, Madeleine Albright’s couture, handbags, designer scarfs, and hats were all powerful means to express her mood, and often a pointed message at events, diplomatic meetings, and special occasions. Highlights include:
A Christian Dior Lady Dior Bag (Lot 94) that sold for $5,080.
Two Red Western Hats and Hat Case (Lot 105) estimated at $400-600 realized $1,524. From her teenage years in Colorado, Secretary Albright developed a fondness for Western hats, and rekindled this affection when traveling as Secretary of State, both because she liked the look and because, as she said, “I had more bad hair days than I could count.”
Further information about the sale of The Private Collection of Secretary Madeleine K. Albright is available upon request.