Furlong Auction House will present an exceptional selection of jewellery and diamond-trade memorabilia in its forthcoming Collectables & Memorabilia Sale, live online on Thursday 08th January, 2026, at 13:00pm, bringing to market museum-grade artefacts charting the origins and evolution of the global jewellery industry.
The centrepiece of the sale is Lot 65: Extremely Rare 19th-Century De Beers “New Rush” Kimberlite Specimen, dated 23 May 1873, containing a visible rough natural diamond crystal embedded in the matrix.
Originating from New Rush – the early settlement that became Kimberley the specimen is accompanied by its original manuscript presentation label, linking it directly to the pioneering years of the South African diamond rush and the formative era of De Beers.
Surviving labelled geological specimens from this period are exceptionally scarce, and examples retaining a visible diamond crystal are almost never encountered outside institutional collections.
The lot represents a tangible relic from the birth of the modern diamond industry.
Also among the highlights is Lot 08: The Hatton Garden Lot, a rare and evocative working archive from London’s historic jewellery quarter.
The collection includes a wooden jeweller’s box with scales and tools, additional testing instruments, seals and stamps, and an accompanying archive of handwritten Hatton Garden receipts, invoices, and consignment notes.
Showing honest age-related wear and offered as a complete collection, the lot provides a unique insight into the daily practice of Britain’s jewellery trade.
Further jewellery memorabilia include extensive De Beers corporate material, original share certificates, antique jewellery presentation boxes and receipts, historic jewellers advertisements, invoices and receipts, and historic important jewellery auction catalogues from Sotheby’s and Christie’s – including volumes I & II of HRH Princess Margaret Christie’s auction sale catalogues.
Included in the sale are sought-after pearl comparison sets, and a rare GIA GemSet colour communication set.
The sale offers collectors, historians, and institutions a rare opportunity to acquire authentic artefacts documenting discovery, craftsmanship, and commerce at the foundations of the jewellery world.
Online bidding commences live Thursday 08th January at 13:00pm. Register to bid, place pre-bids and view the full sale catalogue at: https://www.furlongauctions.co.uk
