,who stole from family and friends to fund her extraordinarily lavish lifestyle,appeared to be no impediment to buyers.
Melissa Caddick wearing the Oscar de la Renta gown that was auctioned this week,and other items that went under the hammer. She is pictured with husband Anthony Koletti.Supplied
There was frenzied bidding – mostly online and by telephone – for the 54 pieces of jewellery auctioned by Smith&Singer on Wednesday night.
“People are going nuts,” whispered one of the 10 staff handling the phones and computers at the auction as items reached double or triple the listed price guides.
The one exception was a diamond and sapphire ring which Caddick bought for herself the week before her wedding to second husband Anthony Koletti on New Year’s Eve,2012. The Stefano Canturi ring,which cost $39,200,struggled to make $7000.
The “Stella” necklace sold for $130,000.Supplied
All amounts are before a 25 per cent buyers’ premium.
However,there was spirited bidding for lot 156,the most famous of Caddick’s bling – the “Stella”,an 18-carat white gold necklace with 13 black sapphires surrounded by diamonds,which sold for $130,000. Caddick paid $370,000 for the Stefano Canturi necklace in 2015.
The matching ring sold for $14,000 (bought for $17,500) and the “Stella” earrings sold for $7500 (bought for $14,000).
An Oscar de la Renta gown was among items sold this week.Supplied
The necklace features in the famous photo of Caddick,who wore a dark blue Oscar de la Renta ballgown at a Thursday night fundraiser gala held in the gymnasium at her son’s private school.
Another big seller was a diamond,aquamarine and sapphire necklace which sold for $100,000. Caddick bought the Canturi necklace for $350,000 in 2018.
Attracting the strangest bid of the night was the matching ring for which Caddick paid $15,500.
The opening and only bid was from an internet purchaser who paid $8500 despite the ring’s price guide being listed as $3000-$5000.
The ballgown,which Caddick bought for more than $14,000,sold for $1000 at the Shapiro auction on Monday.
Attracting the most interest over the two-day auction of Caddick’s designer clothes and accessories,were the fraudster’s 12 handbags which sold for almost $35,000,almost triple the estimated prices.
A limited edition white fur Dior bag was the highest-selling item in the clothes and accessories auction.Supplied
The highest-priced handbag was a limited edition Lady Dior Bag by Turkish designer Burcak Bingol. The white fur with blue embroidered flowers and perspex handle sold for $7364 (with buyers’ premium). On release in early 2019,the bag retailed for about $11,000.
An iridescent Burmese python bag by Chanel sold for $4400 (including buyers’ premium).
There was a bidding war with 23 bids for a Christian Dior black wool and silk dress with a v-neckline and pleated skirt which sold for $3800 (including buyer’s premium).
Caddick’s Balmain jacket sold for $1500.Supplied
Two identically styled Balmain jackets loosened purse strings:$1100 for the navy version,while her trademark fire-engine red jacket fetched $1500.
A dyed green J Mendel mink jacket sold for $1700 while a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes,with Caddick’s star sign Taurus embroidered on them,sold for $460.
Two items were late withdrawals from the jewellery auction after Koletti’s lawyers lodged an objection to the sale of a 9.4-carat white gold diamond and sapphire men’s ring acquired by Caddick for $8000 in 2013 and an $11,270 Breitling Navitimer watch.
Bruce Gleeson,the court-appointed liquidator of Caddick’s assets,who was in the auction room for the sale of the jewellery,said he was “very pleased” with the results.
Smith&Singer chairman Geoffrey Smith was “thrilled” with the results.
Christian Louboutin “Taurus Mule” with embroidered celestial details sold for $450.Supplied
Asked if he thought it was the Caddick mystique which had led to spirited bidding,Smith offered that it was the cache of the Stefano Canturi name.
“It was an exciting collection and very rare to bring 60 items by the same designer to auction,” Smith said.
This week’s auction results,along with the recent $48,000 artwork auction,will see almost $850,000 returned to investors.
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