While escaping to the mountains of New York’s Hudson River Valley, I found myself unable to put down my latest read, “Empty Mansions” by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr. Based on the mysterious life of copper heiress Huguette Clark, who passed away at 104 in 2011, the book explores not only the empty mansions of the reclusive Clark but examines her past, her family and her very secluded lifestyle later in life.
Clark and daughters visit Columbia Gardens, which he built in Butte. It was about 1917. Andrée (left) was approximately 15 years old, who died at age 16, making Huguette (right) about 11 and Clark 78.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
Her father, W.A. Clark, was known as the Copper King during the early 20th century whose wealth rivaled those of other prominent Gilded Age robber barons. For example, in an effort to illustrate his vast copper fortune to New York society, W.A. Clark built a house so opulent and expensive on Manhattan’s Millionaire’s Row that it was dubbed “Clark’s Folly.” The house, one of W.A. Clark’s proudest achievements along with his impressive collection of art, cost $7 million – roughly $162 million in today’s dollars – to build, or about three times what it would cost to build Yankee Stadium more than a decade later. It stood for less than 20 years, demolished after W.A. Clark’s death in 1925.
After his death, his fortune was equally split among his children from his first marriage and his daughter, Huguette, from his second.
Taken in 1930, about the time of her divorce, this is the last known photo of Huguette Clark. Perhaps she was cornered by a photographer on a steamship; she and her mother traveled to Hawaii after her divorce was finalized in Reno, Nev.
Photo courtesy of AP
Over time, Huguette’s life became more and more isolated as she got older, distancing herself from the rest of the world in her sprawling 42-bedroom Fifth Avenue apartment. In 1988, due to health issues, she moved out of her New York apartment and lived the remainder of her life, voluntarily, in New York City hospitals.
The mysterious Clark estate in Santa Barbara, Calif., has been empty since 1963. Named Bellosguardo for its “beautiful view” of the Pacific, it’s worth more than $100 million, a 21,666-square-foot house on 23 acres. Caretakers have labored at the Clark estate for generations — and not met Huguette Clark.
In addition to her Fifth Avenue apartment, estimated at $100 million, Huguette had perfectly maintained yet uninhabited residences, complete with a full staff and caretakers. In Santa Barbara, California and New Canaan, Connecticut she had Bellosguardo, a 21,666-square-foot mansion built on an oceanfront property of 23 acres and worth approximately at least $100 million; and the $24 million estate Le Beau Château situated on 52 acres of lush land in one of Connecticut’s wealthiest towns, respectively.
This photo of Huguette Clark was taken shortly after she graduated from Spence School. She was rarely seen without her strand of Cartier pearls.
Photo courtesy of The Independent
Huguette’s wealth, which was estimated to be over $400 million at the time of her death, afforded her not only a number of the finest homes money can buy, but also the most magnificent jewels one can wear. And, just like her homes sat empty for decades, her jewels also waited for their elusive owner to pay them a visit from time to time as they sat in a bank vault. For nearly 70 years, Huguette’s fabulous Art Deco jewelry remained in the dark.
A Belle Époque cushion-cut fancy vivid purplish pink diamond ring of 9.00 carats, by Dreicer & Co., circa 1910. Pre-sale estimated value $6 million to $8 million. Actual sale price $15.7 million. All these items from the estate of Huguette M. Clark were auctioned April 17, 2012, by Christie’s New York.
Last year, as part of an ongoing settlement of her estate, seventeen pieces of Huguette’s jewelry were finally brought to light and auctioned at Christies, including several incredible pieces by Cartier. The sale turned out to be a wild success, with a final price of $14 million, plus commission, for a total outlay of $15,762,500.
A rectangular-cut diamond ring of 19.86 carats, by Cartier, D-color, potentially internally flawless clarity, type IIa. Estimated value $2 million to $3 million. Sale price $3,106,500. This ring was discovered in its original Cartier box from the 1920s.
I’d like to revisit some of the extraordinary pieces from her collection, a time capsule of jewelry in the 1920s and into the life of one of the New York’s most elusive millionairesses.
AN ART DECO DIAMOND BRACELET, BY CARTIER
Designed as a series of rectangular-cut diamonds, each within a circular-cut diamond frame, spaced by baguette-cut diamond bar links, mounted in platinum, circa 1925, 6 7/8 ins., in a Cartier red leather case
Signed Cartier, no. 5720 (indistinct)
Estimated value $300,000 to $500,000. Sale price $578,500.
AN ART DECO EMERALD AND DIAMOND BRACELET, BY CARTIER
Designed as a series of three circular, square and baguette-cut diamond panels, each set at the center with three square-cut emeralds, spaced by circular and baguette-cut diamond oval-shaped links, mounted in platinum, circa 1925, 7 1/8 ins., in a Cartier red leather case
Signed Cartier, no. 5540
Estimated value $50,000 to $70,000. Sale price $110,500.
A DIAMOND, RUBY AND SAPPHIRE AMERICAN FLAG BROOCH, BY CARTIER
Designed as a waving American flag, the stars and stripes composed of single-cut diamonds, calibré-cut rubies and cabochon sapphires, to the circular and single-cut diamond flag pole, mounted in platinum, in a Cartier red leather box
Signed Cartier, no. 21
Estimated value $30,000 to $50,000. Sale price $80,500.
A RUBY, SAPPHIRE, EMERALD AND GOLD BRACELET, BY TIFFANY & CO.
Designed as a series of bezel-set cabochon rubies, sapphires and emeralds, to the flexible three-row band designed as a series of smaller cabochon rubies, sapphires and emeralds, mounted in gold, circa 1915, 7¼ ins.
Signed Tiffany & Co., no. 4199, possibly by Louis Comfort Tiffany
Estimated value $30,000 to $50,000. Sale price $266,500.
A PAIR OF EMERALD, NATURAL PEARL AND DIAMOND EAR PENDANTS, BY CARTIER
Each suspending an emerald bead accented by diamond rondelles, swinging within a sculpted gold double hoop, from an emerald bead and diamond rondelle link, to the natural button pearl surmount, measuring approximately 9.32 and 9.12 mm, mounted in gold, early 20th century, in a Cartier red leather box
Signed Cartier, no. 2818739
Estimated value $30,000 to $50,000. Sale price $104,500.
AN ART DECO DIAMOND AND MULTI-GEM CHARM BRACELET
Designed as a platinum link bracelet, suspending ten multi-gem charms of various animal and figural motifs, with four additional charms, mounted in platinum, circa 1925, 6¾ ins.
Eight of the charms and clasp signed Cartier, clasp no. 3218160
Estimated value $20,000 to $30,000. Sale price $92,500
AN ART DECO DIAMOND AND MULTI-GEM CHINOISERIE DESK CLOCK, BY CARTIER
With mechanical movement, the circular mother-of-pearl dial of chinoiserie motif with diamond-set hands, within a gold and cabochon coral bezel with black enamel Roman numerals and trim, to the square-shaped rock crystal case enhanced with rose-cut diamond detail, to the rock crystal strut, mounted in gold, circa 1925, 3½ x 3½ ins., in a Cartier red leather fitted box
Signed Cartier, nos. 1867, 100352, 3355; Movement signed European Watch and Clock Co., France
Estimated value $15,000 to $20,000. Sale price $164,500
AN ART DECO ONYX, DIAMOND AND MULTI-GEM PHOTOGRAPH FRAME, BY CARTIER
The oval-shaped onyx frame decorated with rose-cut diamond and bezel-set ruby flower blossoms, with cabochon turquoise buds and green enamel leaves, set at the bottom of the frame with a rose-cut diamond “A”, mounted in platinum and gold, circa 1910, 3 x 4¼ ins.
Signed Cartier, N.Y.
Estimated value $5,000 to $7,000. Sale price $74,500
AN ART DECO NEPHRITE, TURQUOISE, ONYX AND ENAMEL PHOTOGRAPH FRAME, BY CARTIER
The oval-shaped nephrite frame decorated with four black enamel plaques set with cabochon turquoise flower blossoms with green enamel leaves, mounted in gold and platinum, circa 1910, 3 x 4¼ ins., in a Cartier green leather fitted case
Signed Cartier
Estimated value $4,000 to $6,000. Sale price $74,500
A SINGLE-STRAND NATURAL PEARL AND DIAMOND NECKLACE, BY TIFFANY & CO.
Of seventy-three graduated natural pearls, measuring from approximately 4.65 to 7.80 mm, joined by an oval-cut diamond clasp, mounted in platinum, 18 ins., in a Tiffany & Co. beige leather case
Signed Tiffany & Co.
With report 62522 dated 7 March 2012 from the SSEF Swiss Gemmological Institute stating that the analysed properties confirm the authenticity of these seventy-three saltwater natural pearls
Estimated value $20,000 to $30,000. Sale price $362,500