Maurice Tempelsman’s Diverse Collection, Including Gifts from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Heads to Sotheby’s Auction

A Lifetime of Collecting on Display

Sotheby’s is set to unveil ‘A Marvelous Journey: The Collection of Maurice Tempelsman,’ a significant single-owner auction featuring a diverse array of objects amassed over the lifetime of the Belgian-American businessman, philanthropist, and devoted collector. Maurice Tempelsman, who passed away in August 2025 at the age of 95, curated a collection that reflects his ‘exceptional range and curiosity,’ spanning fine art, antiquities, gold boxes, and items of deep personal significance.

The sale, scheduled for June 24th at Sotheby’s New York, offers a portrait of Tempelsman’s multifaceted life. Born in Antwerp in 1929, he navigated the worlds of international diamond trade, diplomacy, and intimate cultural circles. His journey included fleeing Nazi-occupied Belgium, establishing a diamond business in New York, becoming CEO of Lazare Kaplan International, and serving as Chairman of the Africa-America Institute. He was also a close companion to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis for over a decade, sharing a mutual love for art, antiques, music, and literature.

Highlights of the Sale

Among the most exceptional items is a Very Rare Gold and Hardstone Steinkabinett box by Christian Gottlieb Stiehl, Dresden, circa 1770. This exquisite piece, estimated to sell for $600,000 to $800,000, is a masterful example of Enlightenment craftsmanship, uniting scientific inquiry with luxury. Stiehl created only ten such boxes, with four currently housed in museum collections, making their appearance on the market exceedingly rare. The Tempelsman example has not been publicly seen for over sixty years, last appearing at auction in 1906.

The Steinkabinett box features intricate Zellenmosaik inlay, a technique of setting finely polished hardstones within gold cloisonné borders less than a millimeter wide. The lid showcases an inlaid floral spray of roses, carnations, and forget-me-nots in lapis lazuli. A handwritten booklet, found in a secret compartment, details each stone and its origin, reflecting the era’s fascination with the natural world.

‘To have a Stiehl Steinkabinett of this quality and condition reappear in public after nearly a century is a true discovery,’ stated Alexandria Starp, Sotheby’s Head of Vertu and Gold Boxes. ‘It is not only an object of breathtaking beauty, but a masterpiece rooted in history and science that transcends the boundaries of any single collecting category.’

The collection also includes significant personal items that belonged to Tempelsman, notably gifts from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. These include:

• A gold Cartier Tank wristwatch, gifted by Mrs. Onassis for his birthday, engraved on the caseback in her handwriting: ‘For Maurice Love J 8/26/1985.’ It is estimated at $10,000 to $15,000.
• A Greek Alabaster head of a woman, which Mrs. Onassis bequeathed to Tempelsman in her will. This head held particular significance for Mrs. Onassis, having been documented on the mantelpiece of the White House’s Yellow Oval Room and featured prominently in a 1973 Vogue article about her Park Avenue apartment.

Other notable lots include:

• An Egyptian gold snake armlet from the Roman Period (1st century B.C. - 1st century A.D.), estimated at $20,000 to $30,000.
• ‘Entrance to the Grand Canal, Venice,’ a 1881–85 oil painting by Robert Frederick Blum, estimated at $300,000 to $500,000.
• ‘Ship in a Storm,’ a painting by Montague Dawson, estimated at $80,000 to $120,000.

A Life Rich in Experience and Connection

Dennis Harrington, Sotheby’s Head of European Furniture, commented on the collection’s coherence: ‘What strikes you, looking at this collection as a whole, is how naturally it coheres — not around a single period or category, but around a sensibility. Every object in this collection reflects a man who looked carefully, collected with real conviction, and lived with beautiful things in a way that enriched everyone around him.’

Tempelsman’s philanthropic endeavors were extensive, including service on the boards of the Harvard School of Public Health AIDS Initiative and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He was also a staunch supporter of Nelson Mandela, helping to organize his first visit to the United States after his release from prison.

The exhibition of the collection will be open at Sotheby’s New York from June 17-23, 2026, with the live auction taking place on June 24, 2026.