The Auctions with Tiffany Jewelry

Rose Percy has a long history with the American Red Cross. Complete with an extensive wardrobe and her own Tiffany jewelry, this 23-inch wax doll was first sold for $1,200 back in 1864 to benefit the U.S. Sanitary Commission ¡ª the precursor to one of best-known U.S. charities.
For the past two years, the charity whose core mission is disaster relief has been working feverishly to erase a $209 million operating deficit ¡ª a shortfall that now stands at $33.5 million. The national headquarters laid off a third of its 3,000 employees last year and made a rare appeal to Congress for help that produced a one-time, $100-million infusion. But the cost-cutting isn't over.
What once was a collection of more than 135,000 objects, images, books and reels of film kept in a Lorton, Va., and warehouse outside Washington is being drastically scaled back. The warehouse will be closed next year to save $3 million annually.

Many items predate the time in 1881 when Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross in Washington. Some have been sent to the National Archives under a long-standing partnership, the most historically significant art and objects will be kept at the Washington headquarters and others will be auctioned in the largest sale in years.

TIFFANY & CO. Frank Gehry Torque Bead long drop earrings

TIFFANY & CO. Return to Tiffany Oval tag bracelet

TIFFANY & CO. Elsa Peretti Open Heart ring

Monday, November 23, 2009