A jewelled frame by Faberge led the auction of Joan Rivers' collection at Christie's New York on June 22.
The piece, which was originally commissioned as a gift by Queen Victoria for Queen Louise of Denmark, realised $245,000.
 Queen Victoria gave the frame as a gift to Queen Louise of Denmark in 1898 |
That's an increase of 308.3% on its $60,000 estimate.
Inscribed "Sept. 8th 1898 from V.R.I", it's a well-documented piece and has been shown at various exhibitions over the years including St Petersburg's State Hermitage Museum and London's V&A.
This star power could be the reason behind its impressive hammer price.
Other top selling lots included a French ormolu-mounted mahogany cabinet by Francois Linke that realised $161,000.
Joan Rivers was a famous comedian and TV personality, known for her acerbic wit. She died in 2014 at the age of 81.
Her collection included a wide range of jewellery, art and furniture. It realised a combined $2.2m.
Christie's explained prior to the sale: "Joan Rivers stood for legendary entertainment and eclectic tastes.
"From her coveted collection of pieces from Faberge, Harry Winston and Chanel to a Tiffany dog bowl and silk pagoda dog bed, the offerings from her collection show both sides of her personality: the exuberant energy and the refined connoisseur."
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