World’s largest, ‘The Sleeping Lion Pearl’ to meet auction again

NETHERLANDS: World’s largest pearl ‘The Sleeping Lion’ will be coming back to public’s eye in its 300-year-old condition, to be sold at the Venduehuis auction house in The Hague.

Interestingly, this happens to be the second time the pearl will be appearing for sale in 240 years – the latest one scheduled for May 31, 2018.

The treasure formed in Chinese waters between 1700 and was shipped to Qing dynasty China in 1760 – weighing almost 120 grams (4 ounces) and is over 2.7 inches long.

"The Sleeping Lion Pearl will probably not be on sale for the coming 200 years or so," director of Venduehuis, Peter Meefout said. "It's the last chance for the Dutch public to view this wonder of nature."

While the giant treasure bid has been spoken of $632,000 worth, it cannot be expected to not make return soon around an auction once it’s hammered on Thursday.

Its worth also goes reasoned for its whereabouts and its travel log as the piece has made its way through Poland, Italy, Russia and Holland, reaching Jakarta – where the piece has belonged to a Dutch merchant Hendrik Coenraad Sander, later Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia.

After many adventures, it was bought in 1865 by a Dutch goldsmith and remained in his family's possession for four generations, before the "Amsterdam Pearl Society bought the pearl in 1979 intending to research it and trace its history," the auctioneers said.

The pearl is currently in the possession of Amsterdam Pearl Society and gets advertised as "well-known Royal Cabinet Piece, being a pearl, weighing 578 Carat, depicting a Sleeping Lion, lying in its box."