Hyderabad: The Nizam’s ceremonial sword, having a golden hilt and decorated with diamonds, rubies and emeralds, was sold for `13.44 crore ($1,935,000) at an auction at Christie’s in New York, establishing a world auction record for an Indian sword.
The current auction record of $144 million is held by ‘The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor’ in 2011.
The auction had started with the ‘Indore Sapphire Taveez Bead Pendant Necklace, Mounted By Cartier’ that owes its provenance to Indore’s Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar II, who was educated in England and spent much time abroad with his wife.
The royal necklace went for $206,250 (`1.44 crore), surpassing a high estimate of $60,000, Christie’s said.
An antique diamond ring of Rajmata Gayatri Devi of Jaipur sold for Rs 4.45 crore.
A carved emerald brooch, and interchangeable ‘jigha; mounting depicting Lord Rama, Sita and Hanuman sold for close to Rs 5.12 crore.
The private collection was exhibited a day before the auction. The process was streamed online, where bidders could dial in and bid, said Mr Arvind Acharya.
