Elizabeth Taylor's Personally Owned Prototype Avon "Taj Mahal" Necklace W/Letter of Provenance - This necklace was created as a prototype by Avon Products and given to the late actress, Dame Elizabeth Taylor. The necklace was given to Elizabeth Taylor in the early 1990s prior to the announcement of her partnership with Avon to create replicas of some of the actress' most coveted pieces. Elizabeth Taylor was known for her fabulous collection of jewelry from her 40 carat engagement bracelet from Eddie Fisher, tiara from Mike Todd, the iconic Taylor-Burton diamond, and of course the Taj Mahal Diamond or the "Shah Jehan Necklace" after which this piece is modeled. The original necklace famously sold in 2011 as part of The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor auction for over $8.8 Million. Elizabeth Taylor's collection with Avon has become the most popular of all Avon jewelry lines, selling on secondary sites for up to 10 times what they were originally retailed for. This necklace is the actual prototype that was created for Taylor's approval prior to creating the line. The collection took nearly three years, as Elizabeth Taylor scrutinized every piece to make sure it was of the best quality. Taylor had a hand in every facet of the manufacturing process and production to create the replicas of her cherished jewelry pieces. The necklace comes with a detailed, 7-page letter of provenance from her close friend, Ken Studdy, who was gifted this piece from Elizabeth Taylor in 2010. According to Studdy, "Elizabeth Taylor wore this piece numerous times, from a dinner with Michael Jackson to an AIDS charity fundraiser...Taylor would regularly wear this necklace in replacement of her original as her Lloyd's of London insurance policy stipulated that the necklace could only be worn for a select number of days each year and that she had to be followed by a team of armed guards-similar to the policy for her famous Taylor-Burton Diamond." The letter of provenance also states that Taylor wore this piece for the publicity shoots for the Avon catalog. Measurements: pendant-2" x 1.80", chain-34"