Christie's cancels Horten jewelry sale amid Nazi provenance backlash

Christie's has canceled a November 2023 auction of 300 lots from the Heidi Horten jewelry collection in Geneva, following intense controversy over the Nazi origins of the Horten fortune. The May 2023 sale of Horten's jewels had set a record of over $200 million, but sparked outrage from clients, staff, and Jewish organizations who criticized Christie's for insufficient transparency about the provenance. Heidi Horten's husband, Helmut Horten, was a Nazi party member who amassed wealth by appropriating Jewish-owned businesses. Christie's had planned a conference at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art in December, which was canceled by the museum in July, and many Jewish groups rejected donations from the auction proceeds. David Schaecter, president of the Holocaust Survivor Foundation USA, welcomed the cancellation, stating that the sale of illicit fortunes derived from stolen Jewish property had rightly caused indignation. The case highlights ongoing efforts by auction houses and the art market to adopt stricter guidelines on provenance and ethical sourcing.