The standout from the auction, called “A Private Collection of Antique, Vintage, and Modern Jewels,” was legendary American actor John Wayne’s signet ring.
The 14-karat yellow gold ring has an oval face with Wayne’s initials, “JW,” engraved in relief as well as an engraved tapered band.
It sold for £12,350 (approximately $16,600), more than six times its pre-sale low estimate of £2,000 (about $2,700).
A private American collector scored the ring, outbidding collectors from Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
“Bidders recognize the rarity and cultural resonance of owning something so intimately linked to Hollywood history,” said Sophie Padfield, head of jewelry at Elmwood’s.
“Sales like these remind us how provenance can transform an object into something profoundly personal and the excitement in the room, on the phones, and internet, reflected just how much collectors value these kinds of historical treasures.”
The jewelry Elmwood’s offered at auction Wednesday belonged to Daniel Towell, a jewelry collector and dealer based in West Yorkshire, England.
Also from Towell’s private collection was Marilyn Monroe and playwright Arthur Miller’s sterling silver tazza, which also attracted multiple bidders. A tazza is a wide, shallow platter on a pedestal that is used for serving food or for decoration.
This tazza was a wedding gift for Monroe and Miller, who were married from 1956 to 1961.
A gift to Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller, this sterling silver tazza from the 1950s features the couple’s initials, “MMA,” above a raised pattern of roses.
It features the couple’s initials, “MMA,” engraved in sterling silver, a raised pattern of roses encircling the rim, and a rose in the central well, and dates to the 1950s.
The couple’s tazza also sold for more than six times its pre-sale estimate of £500 (about $670), with a private French collector paying £3,250 (about $4,360).
Padfield said these two lots demonstrate how objects with personal and historical significance “capture the imagination” of collectors.
“The John Wayne ring and the Marilyn Monroe tazza are not just decorative pieces; they offer a direct connection to some of the most iconic figures of the 20th century,” she said.