Current Events & Trends | November 2019 | Rebecca Rego Barry

Bestselling Author Barbara Taylor Bradford’s Jewelry Heads to Auction

Courtesy of Bonhams

The first edition of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s debut novel, A Woman of Substance (1979), which has gone on to sell thirty million copies.

Were we to read into the jacket art of the first edition of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s first novel, we’d note the focus on jewelry—in this case, emerald and gold earrings and a pearl necklace. And perhaps we ought to read into it, after all, fine jewels have been very important to the bestselling British-American author. Over the course of her 55-year marriage to Hollywood movie producer Bob Bradford, who died earlier this year, she amassed quite a collection.

“During our wonderful marriage, he simply could not resist buying me fine jewellery. And I was given a lot as we were married for a long time! Every birthday, wedding anniversary, Christmas, new book publication, and even while on holiday, Bob would often surprise me with a fabulous piece,” said Barbara Taylor Bradford.

Courtesy of Bonhams

Ten of those beloved pieces are headed to auction next month. From an 11-carat fancy yellow diamond ring, estimated at £35,000-45,000 ($45,000+), to a citrine and diamond ‘Bird on a Rock’ brooch by Schlumberger for Tiffany, estimated at £8,000-12,000 ($10,000+), all evoke the magic (and mystery) of an author whose 34 novels have sold “90 millions copies in 40 languages to date,” according to Bonhams. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the 2014 sale in the same rooms featuring Agatha Christie’s jewels: her diamond buckle brooch sold for £27,500 ($35,292), and her diamond three-stone ring sold for £21,875 ($28,073).

This is also not the first time Bradford has put her baubles on the block. In 2013, Bonhams sold forty pieces of her jewelry for a total of £1.2 million.

Courtesy of Bonhams

The pair of rose-cut diamond chandelier earrings by London jeweler David Morris pictured above is estimated at £6,000-8,000 ($7,800+), and there are photos of the author wearing them. What’s more, take a close look at the first American edition of A Woman of Substance, pictured left—is it me, or do they resemble the ones later owned by the author?

Barbara Taylor Bradford, now 86, will be publishing her latest novel, In the Lion’s Den, on November 28 along with a special 40th anniversary edition of A Woman of Substance.