The e-catalogue is still not available, but the necklace is mentioned among the highlights of the auction.
The necklace had already been sold at auction on 8th February 1995 at Christie's. It was, at some time, in the collection of the jeweller Mauboussin.
According to Sotheby's, this necklace had been inherited by Queen Josefina from her mother-in-law Augusta of Bavaria, Duchess of Leuchtenberg, who had probably received it from her own mother-in-law Joséphine, Empress of the French.
Queen Josefina of Sweden and Norway, by Fredrik Westin (left) and Sofia Adlersparre (right), wearing the necklace:
Queen Josefina's mother, Princess Augusta of Bavaria, Duchess of Leuchtenberg, possibly wearing the same necklace, painted by Joseph-Karl Stieler (left) and by another unidentified painter (right):
The necklace was later inherited by King Oscar II's second son, also named Oscar, Duke of Gotland, later Count Oscar Bernadotte af Wisborg. The necklace was worn by his morganatic wife, Ebba Munck af Fulkila:
Later, the necklace was worn by Oscar and Ebba's daughter-in-law, Countess Gerty Bernadotte:
The Swedish jewel collection is not specially short on pearl necklaces, but anyway it would be great if King Carl XVI Gustav could buy this necklace and join it back to the Bernadotte collection. But of course, I can fear this hope remains a dream...