An early 20th century opal bead necklace

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PROVENANCE: Lot 140 was formerly in the possession of Jean Gardener Batten, CBE, (1909-1982) Born in New Zealand, Jean Batten was one of the celebrated women aviators of the early 20th century, astounding the world during the 1930's with her highly skilled flying prowess and navigational skills. Her interest in flying stemmed from her meeting in 1929 with the famous Australian pilot, Charles Kingsford-Smith who had, during the previous year, made the first trans-pacific flight from America to Australia. Batten moved to London in 1930 with her mother, and quickly gained her Commercial Pilot's Licence and then began planning for a flight from England to Australia. After two failed attempts, she at last succeeded in May 1934, flying a Gipsy Moth, and smashing the previous record set by Amy Johnson. Upon her return flight in 1935 Batten became an instant celebrity in Australia, New Zealand and England as the first woman to make a solo round trip. Later in the same year Batten became the first woman to fly the South Atlantic from England to Brazil, establishing a new record speed for the flight in a Percival Vega Gull Monoplane, and in 1936 she flew from London to New Zealand in 11 days 45 minutes establishing another solo flight record, which was to stand for 44 years. In 1937 she set her final record for an Australia to England flight. Unable to fly during World War II, Batten gave up flying altogether and faded into obscurity, only emerging briefly in the late 1960s. Although she died alone and unknown in Majorca in 1982, more recently she has been the subject of a TV film and a book. Jean Batten's many achievements are now commemorated by the Jean Batten International Terminal at Auckland International Airport.

Details

An early 20th century opal bead necklace
Composed of a graduated single row of opal beads, with faceted rock crystal rondel spacers to a marcasite clasp, circa 1930, approximately 60cm. long

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Further details

Formerly in the possession of Jean Gardener Batten

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