Mystery of late author’s missing jewels solved after fan finds them
DURING her lifetime, author Agatha Christie became very famous for her murder mysteries. But after her death, it appears the mysteries are continuing.
In 2006, an auction was held at Christie’s Dart estate in Devon, where the contents of her home were sold.
A diehard fan of the author bought an old travelling trunk which had belonged to Christie’s mother for £100 (about R1 760). Inside the trunk was a locked strongbox, but the key had been lost.
Four years later, when the trunk’s new owner was having some construction work done, they used a crowbar to open the box and discovered a purse of gold coins, a diamond brooch and a three-stone diamond ring.
The jewels are mentioned in Christie’s autobiography as pieces that were earmarked for Agatha and her sister, Madge, to inherit from their mother’s collection.
The jewels are now being offered for auction at Bonham’s in the UK on October 8.
The auction house has valued the 19th century diamond brooch at £6 000 to £8 000 (about R107 000 to R143 000) and the ring is valued at £3 000 to £5 000 (about R53 000 to R89 000).
Not a bad little investment, considering the amount the trunk was bought for. Upcoming local auctions: On Thursday Vigne and Howard hold an antiques and collectibles auction at 17 Havelock Street, Central, PE. 10am. This will take the place of their weekly general auction, which is normally held on a Wednesday.
On Friday, Elliott Brothers will hold a livestock auction, with 75 registered and ranch bulls, 150 females at the Queenstown BAS Showgrounds at midday.
Also on Friday, Aucor will hold an insolvent estate auction of a three-bedroom home at 10 Albatross Drive, Seaview, Clarendon Marine at 11am.
Then at 4pm Aucor will also be auctioning a two-bedroom sectional title unit at 75 Milkwood Place, Winterhoek Park, Uitenhage.