Ava Lowle Willing was born in 1868 in Newport, Rhode Island. A descent of many distinguished figures including Thomas Willing, the first president of the First Bank of the United States, and Edward Shippen, the first mayor of Philadelphia, Ava was part of a prominent lineage that significantly influenced American high society. She spent her early years immersed in elite circles, in which her charming beauty and elegance made her a notable figure.
In February 1891, at the age of 23, Ava married ‘Colonel’ John Jacob Astor IV, the grandson of the renowned investor and real estate magnate John Jacob Astor. The marriage brought together two of the most esteemed families of the country, allowing Ava to join the Astor family, a name associated with historical wealth and prominence. Throughout their marriage, Ava remained as an illustrious figure of the American elite, furthering reputation for her captivating glamour and charm.
During their 18 year-long marriage, the couple had two children, one of which was Ava Alice Muriel Astor. After filing for divorce in 1909, Ava moved to England with her daughter where she spent a significant part of her remaining years. In 1911, Alice faced the tragic passing of her father in the sinking of the RMS Titanic when she was merely 10 years old, upon which she was granted a trust fund of $5,000,000 – equivalent to around $165M today. In the following decades, she employed her wealth to become a dedicated patron of the arts, supporting Sadler’s Wells Ballet in London and the New York City Ballet, among many others.
Like her mother, Alice possessed an outstanding style and sophisticated sensibilities that allowed her to uphold the family’s legacy as one the most admired socialites of her time. Embracing the connoisseurship passed down from Ava, Alice continued to cultivate the family’s exquisite collections of art and luxury. Her refined taste was particularly evident in her wardrobe of jewels, which included the most iconic pieces from both the Gilded Age and the Roaring Twenties, each of which spoke to the grandeur of its respective era. Her pearl jewels, likely inherited from her mother Ava, evoked the sophistication of the Gilded Age, capturing the timeless elegance of her mother’s era. At the same time, her striking Art Deco pieces of modern, geometric designs epitomized the glamour of the Jazz Age.
The following jewels (Lots 17 – 25) come from the collection of Emily Sophia Harding, Alice’s daughter with journalist Philip John Ryves Harding. Included in the selection are many jewels that were previously owned by Ava and Alice and later passed down to Emily. From a graceful double-strand natural pearl necklace to a dazzling Art Deco diamond bracelet, each of the lots presents enduring beauty shared by an iconic American family across many generations.