Description:

EMMY GORING''S DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE BROOCH
A unique and beautiful article of Third Reich memorabilia, a jeweled brooch, approx. 1 1/2" square, a white gold flower, encrusted with 77 octagonal-cut diamonds with a brilliant-cut diamond at the center, for a total weight of 1.6 carats, and further adorned with a looped ribbon bearing 19 square-cut sapphires, for a total weight of 4.1 carats. The brooch features a hinged double-pin clasp, and bears no hallmarks. The brooch was owned by EMMY GORING (1893-1973), wife of Luftwaffe Reichsmarschall Hermann Goring. Emmy gave the brooch to Erna Steffen, who had been employed by the Gorings as a personal maid and nanny to their daughter Edda since 1938, on the occasion of the birth of Erna''s daughter, Heidrun Neikes (nee Steffen), in February of 1944. Emmy was also named Heidrun''s godmother, and the four women remained close and exchanged correspondence for many years after the end of the war. The brooch passed to Heidrun following her mother''s death, and was sold by her to our consignor in 2016. Present with the brooch are Heidrun Neikes'' signed letter of provenance with notarization certificate, as well as the Steffen family''s "Familienstammbuch" ("family record book"), which records Erna''s marriage to SS-Oberscharfuhrer Johann Steffen in November of 1943, as well as Heidrun''s birth in 1944, and Heidrun''s baptismal certificate, dated March 2, 1952, listing Emmy Goring as her godmother. Also present are two original post-war postcards written by Edda Goring to Erna, as well as one from Emmy Goring to Erna and a fourth from Emmy to Heidrun, and a signed and inscribed book, "An der Seite Meines Mannes" ("By the Side of my Husband"), by Emmy Goring, [Gottingen; Verlag K.W. Schutz], 1967, 337pp. 8vo., with a signed message in blue ink from Emmy on the front flyleaf. Completing the collection are four original photographs of Erna Steffen, Erna with Emmy and Edda Goring, and two views of Heidrun, as well as three reprinted images showing the same individuals, and a jeweler''s appraisal form for the brooch prepared by Edelsteinlabor Eigner of Salzburg equal to $7,850 in today''s value.

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December 19, 2017 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000