Become a Member
News

Holocaust charity slams auction of $150m Nazi jewellery collection

The collection was owned by the late widow of a Nazi party member who took over control of Jewish businesses in 1930s Germany

May 10, 2023 13:51
Christie's nazi loot jewellery
This photograph taken on May 8, 2023, shows an employee of Christie's auction house holding the "Sunrise Ruby" a rare Cartier ruby and diamond ring, which weighs in at 25.59 carats and is expected to fetch at least 14 million USD at the World of Heidi Horten sale in Geneva. - Christie's launch the sale of hundreds of jewels that belonged to Austrian billionaire Heidi Horten, whose German businessman husband made his fortune under the Nazis. The whole collection has an estimated value of more than $150 million. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)
3 min read

The Holocaust Educational Trust has branded the multimillion-dollar auction of jewels that belonged to a billionaire Nazi widow a "true insult to victims of the Holocaust".

Christie’s auction house is putting 700 pieces of Nazi-linked jewellery up for sale, estimated to be worth more than $150 million (£118 million). Approximately 100 pieces are to be sold in Geneva on Wednesday, May 10, and another 150 on Friday, with more sold online later this year.

Among the items going on sale include the 90-carat “Briolette of India” diamond necklace, and the “Sunrise Ruby”, a diamond ring by Cartier that is worth upwards of $20 million.

The jewels are currently owned by the estate of Heidi Horten, who was married to a prominent Nazi who made his fortune seizing assets from Jews who fled the country.

Topics:

Art

Nazis