Jewellery of former Nazi Party member's wife sells for whopping $196 million
Interestingly, the sale on Wednesday broke the record set by the collection of Elizabeth Taylor, whose gems had fetched nearly $116 million in New York in 2011.
Jewellery belonging to late Austrian billionarie and art collector Heidi Horten have become the most expensive private collection to be auctioned ever as they got sold for a whopping $196 million. Heidi had inherited a lot of her wealth from her husband Helmut Horton who was a Nazi Party member as per a report published in January 2022 by historians commissioned by the Horten Foundation
The auction by Christie's, happened on Wednesday last week despite demands by Jewish groups who alleged that Heidi's husband Helmut had made wealth by buying properties and shops from distressed and fleeing Jews during Nazi rule in Germany.
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Meanwhile, Christie's highlighted that the proceeds from the sale would go towards philanthropic activities, including for "vitally important Holocaust research and education". In an online sale catalog, the auction company also said that the source of Horten’s wealth was “a matter of public record” and that Helmut’s business practices were “well documented.”
Despite the 'philanthropic' claim, American Jewish Committee criticised Christie's for going ahead with the auction.
"It is not enough that this sale will benefit a charitable foundation or that Christie's will make an unspecified donation for Holocaust education. Instead, the auction should be put on hold until a serious effort is made to determine what portion of this wealth came from Nazi victims," said the Committee.
Interestingly, the sale on Wednesday broke the record set by the collection of Elizabeth Taylor, whose gems had fetched nearly $116 million in New York in 2011. Heidi's collection featured over 700 jewels. Another online auction for the remaining jewels will happen in November, this year.
As per a report by Forbes, Heidi had a net worth of around $3 billion when she died in June last year. She became an art collector from a young age influenced by her father who was an engraver.