BULGARIA'S BEJEWELLED PAST

Buyers from around the world flocked to Geneva to bid on courtly jewels amassed by Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria and his family over a century ago - a collection that had lain untouched for many decades, discovers Caroline Wheater

- Caroline Wheater

At Sotheby's Royal & Noble Jewels sale in Geneva last November, the atmosphere was electric as around 50 bidders crowded into the saleroom, and hundreds more joined in online and via the telephone. The main draw of the prestigious auction was a singleowner collection entitled 'A Tsar's Treasure', jewellery amassed by Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria and his immediate family in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. It contained pieces once owned by the greatest royal families of central Europe - SachsenCoburg-Gotha (of which Ferdinand was a prince), Habsburg, Bourbon-Parma, Württemberg and Savoy.

Amongst the 114 lots were glittering diamond tiaras, bejewelled bracelets, brooches and rings, and a cascade of cufflinks, tie pins and sleek cigarette boxes from Ferdinand's personal cache of male jewellery.