Lady Wardington's 'Severely Beautiful' Jewelry Collection Fetches Over $161,000

The personal jewelry collection of the late Lady Wardington, a woman once described as 'too sophisticated and severely beautiful,' achieved significant success at auction, bringing in a total of £121,240 (approximately $161,721). The sale, held at Noonans Mayfair as part of their ‘Jewellery, Watches, Silver, and Objects of Vertu’ event on March 10, saw 28 out of 30 lots find buyers, demonstrating strong market interest in the collection.

Top Lots Highlight Evening Wear Accessories

The collection's top performers were two exquisite gold evening bags. The primary lot, a mid-20th century gold and diamond-set evening bag, sold for £28,000 ($37,000), significantly exceeding its pre-sale estimate of £15,000 to £20,000 ($20,300 to $27,100). Following closely, a similar gold purse secured £22,000 ($29,300), surpassing its estimate of £10,000 to £15,000 ($13,500 to $20,300).

Frances Noble, head of the jewelry department at Noonans, expressed her satisfaction with the results: “It has been our privilege to offer for sale the Collection of Lady Wardington, and we were delighted to have achieved such strong results for her family.”

Notable Jewelry Highlights

Among the standout jewelry pieces was a striking gem-set cluster brooch-pendant. This versatile piece, which can be flipped and worn as a brooch, sold for £15,000 ($20,000) to a London buyer, far exceeding its estimate of £4,000 to £6,000 ($5,400 to $8,100). The brooch features a pear-shaped cluster adorned with cushion-shaped yellow and blue sapphires, emeralds, aquamarines, and rubies, accented by old brilliant-cut diamonds.

A diamond and platinum geometric bracelet, dating from circa 1950, also performed well, selling for £15,000 ($20,300). The bracelet, set with 28 carats of diamonds, came in its original case from Searle & Co. Ltd, Jewellers & Silversmiths, aligning with its pre-sale estimate.

Another notable item was a diamond double-clip brooch from circa 1950. This adaptable piece, designed to convert into a pair of earrings, fetched £6,000 ($8,000), surpassing its £4,000 to £6,000 ($5,400 to $8,100) estimate. The brooch showcases a flowerhead and ribbon design and is set with 5.50 carats of diamonds.

Two lots failed to attract buyers: a pair of Colombian emerald earrings and an agate bracelet. The emerald earrings were accompanied by a case signed by John Haynes & Co. Ltd., and the agate bracelet came in a case from Johnson, Walker, & Tolhurst Ltd.

The Life of Lady Wardington

Lady Wardington, born Margaret Audrey White in 1927, had a fascinating life journey. From humble beginnings in West Yorkshire, she rose to become a high-profile model and fashion editor. Her striking looks led to a memorable rejection from the BBC, where executives deemed her “too sophisticated and severely beautiful” for the perceived audience. She married Christopher Henry Beaumont Pease, 2nd Lord Wardington, in 1964.

Beyond her fashion career, Lady Wardington was an accomplished author and a passionate advocate for women's financial independence. She developed a financial management course and authored the popular 'Superhints' book series. She passed away in November 2014 at the age of 87.

Noonans described the collection as offering “a snapshot of the jewels worn by one of society’s most glamorous and beautiful women of the mid-20th century.” Many of the pieces were reportedly gifts from her husband, evidenced by the jewelry cases bearing the signatures of prominent London jewelers near his former brokerage firm offices.