Town and Country wrote an article covering the collection. "He won and Oscar. She collected Faberge"
The first estimates is that Kathryn owned objects that were worth at least 7 Million apiece meaning the entire price of the collection can reach dozens of millions (A Munnings painting have been sold for 7M alone)  and perhaps much more. Kathryn is appearing to have invested large amounts of her personal wealth obtaining a series of objects throughout her life.
The fact that she owned privately one of the rarest collections of Faberge worldwide and she had at her disposal a collection of this side without selling it (all objects were left directly to her not to a trust) speaks of her fine taste and her true dedication to the arts. She mentioned in her books of her love for the antiques but the length and actual rarity and value of her belongings were underreported until now that some of the finest objects of this collection will be shown for the first time before the scheduled auction.  
 
Harry is quoted by Town and Country saying  “Mom was drawn to Fabergé early in the marriage and met the experts, the Schaeffer family of A la vielle Russie, and later, Wartski….and she collected carefully and gained a deep interest and understanding of Fabergé.”
 
 
 
Helen Culver Smith, Sotheby's Head of Decorative Arts Worldwide and Head of Faberge and Russian Works of Art one of the top Faberge specialists on earth commented that  
“this collection reveals how dedicated Kathryn was to the field of Fabergé and to the way in which Bing supported her focused and determined approach. In addition to forming an important part of the family’s private residence, some of the Fabergé items were also worn by Kathryn which is a very unique approach to objects of vertu, speaking to her singular, bold, and creative style.”
 

Last edited by Pantelis Kavouras (09/10/2025 7:30 am)

I believe that I have the answers here. Kathryn collected as hobby never as an investment. It is my understanding that all the objects were displayed at her Jacklin Drive 1200 Estate durign her life, I guess that the house used in the White Christmas DVD edition interview of Kathryn's is her Genoa residence and the style does not indicate a similar classic decor with the Hillsborough residence, but she might have stored some objects close to her there too. The Faberge doubled as decorative objects and at the same time as jewels, as she wear them regularly.

Kathryn was known in the San Francisco high society circles for her rare jewels and some friends invited her in 2010 to wear the Cullinan Blue Diamond necklace before the donation of the priceless piece to the Smithsonian Institute, the blue diamond was found little after the white Cullinan that part of it is in the British Crown. The owner of the blue diamond asked Kathryn to wear it in the private party before the donation as she was known to have the style to support rare jewels.

Kathryn started collecting early in the marriage becoming an antique and Faberge expert and Bing's art collection was even older. They both had a fine classic taste.
 

It's nice to know that these items were enjoyed and not just stored away. 
It's must be a testament to Bing's fond feelings over his film "High Society" (which I believe to have been his favourite) to have purchased that beautiful piano and its stool listed on your linked press release, Pantelis.
Having just checked how visible it is as a whole during the "Now You Has Jazz" number, it's incredible to think that should anyone have a spare twenty to thirty thousand dollars - and indeed the houseroom for it ... it could be theirs!
Is anyone on here tempted? 

Last edited by Ian Kerstein (14/10/2025 4:18 am)

A Toilet set estimated at 4-6,000 was sold for near 70,000
Most Jean Louis gowns were sold for thousands a piece.

Kathryn Crosby's earings were sold for near $200,000 and her stickpin for $120,000

Some of Russel's paintings were sold for $400,000 a piece

The Faberge mouse that I saw in London was sold for $350,000 and the Lion for $300,000

The Faberge Parasol handle that was worn by Kathryn at her last released public video for Decca Records in 2019, was sold for $20,000. The 86th Kathryn Crosby can be seen with it here:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=search&v=421987098731456&external_log_id=13790796-0b43-4d30-b6e9-84ef421e3eb5&q=kathryn%20crosby

The piano was obtained by Bing and Kathryn from High Society few years after the movie was sold for soemthign less than 100,000.


 

Pantelis, did you manage to buy anything? Jason got something.

Well done. Pantelis. Delighted for you.