Auctioneer's wonder as tiara smashes expectations

Auctioneers said they were left stunned as a dazzling Cartier tiara, once owned by former Plymouth MP Nancy Astor, soared far beyond its estimated value at auction.

The diamond-encrusted tiara, expected to fetch about £400,000, instead reached nearly £890,000.

"We were on tenterhooks in the sale room, it just kept going and going, it was wonderful, truly wonderful," said Jennifer Tonkin of auctioneers Bonhams.

American-born Nancy Astor was elected in 1919 to represent Plymouth Sutton in Parliament and held the seat until she stood down in 1945.

Bonhams said it was the first time the tiara had been on the market since it was bought by her husband Lord Waldorf Astor in 1930.

Despite anticipation that the tiara would surpass its pre-sale estimate, the final result took experts by surprise.

But the rich history, combined with the Cartier name and its rare and unique design, appeared to make the piece an irresistible prize for collectors, said Ms Tonkin.

"It's been an absolute joy to see our clients marvel at it during viewings," she told BBC Radio Devon.

"There's something truly evocative about it, I hear jazz music when I look at it. It's impossibly chic."

"I will miss it dearly, it's so beautiful."

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