Ownership of the Aurora collection to be argued in court.

[denverappraiser]

In Friday's New York times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/31/arts/court-battle-over-aurora-pyramid-of-hope-diamonds.html?_r=1

- copied from the article -
In the mezzanine gallery of the Natural History Museum in London are some of its cherished treasures: the 1,384-carat Devonshire Emerald; a replica of Queen Victoria’s Koh-i-noor diamond; and the Aurora Pyramid of Hope, a rare collection of 295 naturally colored diamonds.

It was put together in the 1980s and ’90s by two men, Harry Rodman, a veteran gold refiner from the Bronx, and Alan Bronstein, a diamond dealer from New Jersey. Together they assembled the world’s most comprehensive grouping of colored diamonds and exhibited them at prestigious museums like the Smithsonian Institution in Washington and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

But these days the fate of that collection and other gems is being decided on the fourth floor of Surrogate’s Court in the Bronx, a few blocks from Yankee Stadium.

Mr. Rodman died in 2008 at 99, and now his family is battling Mr. Bronstein over who is rightfully entitled to Mr. Rodman’s half-share of their collections, valued by one appraisal at more than $14 million.
- end of quote

 

[kenny]

Re: Ownership of the Aurora collection to be argued in court

Wow!

Thanks for posting that Neil.
I've never seen the Aurora collection but it captures my imagination again and again every time I open my copy of Hofer's huge reference book about Fancy Colored Diamonds, which is based on The Aurora Collection.

That book must be out of print now, as a new copy goes for $1850.
I was outraged when I had to pay perhaps $200 for mine.

http://www.amazon.com/Collecting-Classifying-Coloured-Diamonds-Illustrated/dp/0965941019/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333331458&sr=8-1

 

[marcy]

Wow what a cool collection of colored diamonds.

 

[Christina...]

Re: Ownership of the Aurora collection to be argued in court

Wow!

Thanks for posting that Neil.
I've never seen the Aurora collection but it captures my imagination again and again every time I open my copy of Hofer's huge reference book about Fancy Colored Diamonds, which is based on The Aurora Collection.

That book must be out of print now, as a new copy goes for $1850.
I was outraged when I had to pay perhaps $200 for mine.

http://www.amazon.com/Collecting-Classifying-Coloured-Diamonds-Illustrated/dp/0965941019/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333331458&sr=8-1

YIKES!! In keeping with the rising costs of diamonds!

 

[Enerchi]

Re: Ownership of the Aurora collection to be argued in court

Does the book come WITH a diamond?

Interesting case to be settled. Hard when partnerships end (death or otherwise) and determining who gets what. Maybe everyone on PS gets a little sumpin' sumpin' from the collection? I'm in!