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Doris Duke was born rich, married unwisely, died unhappy. Now some of her treasures are for sale. Caroline Overington reports from New York. When she was born,[url=http://authenticrogerviviershoes.halod.com/][b]http://authenticrogerviviershoes.halod.com/[/b][/url], they called her "The Million Dollar Baby" and later, she was "The Richest Girl in the World". By the time she died,[url=http://parajumperssalefreeshipping.webmium.com/][b]http://parajumperssalefreeshipping.webmium.com/[/b][/url], Doris Duke was being called "The World's Wealthiest Woman", which probably wasn't strictly true. But she certainly gave others a run for their money. Ms Duke was heir to an American tobacco fortune,[url=http://merrellshoesusaonline.blogspot.com/][b]http://merrellshoesusaonline.blogspot.com/[/b][/url]. When she died at 80 in 1993 she left an estate worth an estimated $US1.3 billion - $A1.8 billion at the current exchange rate. Strictly speaking, she had no heirs of her own, but there was still a battle over her assets. Ten years on, most of the court cases have been settled. Now some of Ms Duke's jewels, including a 19-carat Tiffany diamond the size and shape of a matchbox, are to be auctioned next week by Christie's, for charity. The sale gives voyeurs a chance to peek into the life of one of the world's lucky ones: a girl rich by accident of birth, who knew how to spend money - which, it must be said, did not necessarily make her happy, but certainly cushioned some blows. Doris Duke was born in 1912, the only child of James Buchanan Duke, founder of the American Tobacco Company. According to legend, her father on his deathbed in 1925 said to his daughter: "Trust no one. They all want your money." Probably sensibly,[url=http://parajumperssalefreeshipping.webmium.com/][b]parajumpers sale free shipping Hampton Roads Technology Council for sale[/b][/url], she believed it. According to a cousin, Ms Duke liked to say: "You can't buy a person. But you sure can rent one for a while." James Duke left the bulk of his $US300 million estate to his only daughter,[url=http://parajumpersjacketsstores.blogspot.com/][b]http://parajumpersjacketsstores.blogspot.com/[/b][/url]. She was just 12 and already almost 183 centimetres tall. The fortune, put in a trust, was hammered by the Wall Street collapse in 1929. But Ms Duke was a shrewd investor. By the time she first married, aged 23, she had accumulated real estate. Ms Duke was raised in a lavish penthouse on Park Avenue and died at a house called Falcon's Lair in Beverley Hills, once the home of Rudolph Valentino. She also owned a "farm" in New Jersey that is more like a mansion,[url=http://2013rogerviviershoessaks.blogspot.com/][b]Roger Vivier Boots Outlet[/b][/url]; an estate on Rhode Island; and a hacienda known as Shangri-La in Hawaii. Ms Duke was twice married, the first time to James Cromwell, who had some money of his own. They had a daughter, Arden, who lived for only a day. Three years later the couple divorced. She decided to travel,[url=http://duveticapiuminiitalia.webmium.com/][b]Duvetica Piumini Italia Outlet Shop Duvetica Down Jackets Uomo[/b][/url]. During World War II she worked in a canteen for soldiers in Egypt for $1 a year. "I've discovered," she said, at the time, "that it's fun to work, I guess." After the war, Ms Duke stayed in Europe and became a journalist. She married a well-known playboy, Porfirio Rubirosa - who married five times, often to women with money. After that marriage failed, Ms Duke took up travelling in earnest, collecting treasures, including two camels and a pet leopard. But mostly she indulged in philanthropy. According to the Doris Duke Foundation, which is offering her jewels for sale, Ms Duke gave away $US400 million during her life. The cash now goes to medical research, the environment, and prevention of child abuse. The many stories about Doris Duke have at least a grain of truth. In 1988 she posted the $US5 million bail of the former Philippines first lady, Imelda Marcos,[url=http://authenticrogerviviershoes.halod.com/][b]roger vivier shoes for sale[/b][/url], who was charged with looting her country. In the same year Ms Duke adopted a 35-year-old woman, Chandi Heffner, a belly dancer and Hare Krishna member. In 1991 Ms Duke decided she'd had enough, and had Ms Heffner evicted from their mansion. In her will, she wrote: "After giving the matter prolonged and serious consideration, I am convinced I should not have adopted Chandi Heffner." But Ms Heffner still got $US65 million. Early photographs of Ms Duke are striking. She was obsessed with her looks. At 79 she had a facelift. Two days later,[url=http://giuseppezanottimenssneakers.webmium.com/][b]giuseppe zanotti sneakers men[/b][/url], still woozy from the operation, Ms Duke fell and broke her hip. Within a year she was dead. Cousins were shocked that she made her butler, Bernard Lafferty - described by some as a drunken Irishman with a ponytail, who liked to tell Ms Duke she could still wear mini-skirts - the executor of her massive estate. He got $US5 million in fees,[url=http://duveticajacketsoutlet.olimx.com/][b]http://duveticajacketsoutlet.olimx.com/[/b][/url], plus $US500,000 a year. Other beneficiaries were Ms Duke's camels,[url=http://duveticacanadashop.halod.com/][b]duvetica jackets canada outlet[/b][/url], which were kept for life, and her dog,[url=http://woolrichjacketstore.blogspot.com/][b]Woolrich Women[/b][/url], which got $US100,000 a year. But 90 per cent of the estate went to Ms Duke's foundation,[url=http://duveticacanadashop.halod.com/][b]http://duveticacanadashop.halod.com/[/b][/url]. The jewels and furnishings for sale through Christie's have been described as "entirely fantastic". They dazzle. There are 150 pieces, including "the most important wine collection of a single person ever to come to auction" (it alone is worth around $US20 million, and includes 11 of the 25 surviving bottles of Dom Perignon's original 1920s vintage). There is also the Belle Epoque diamond and pearl pendant necklace by Cartier. The collection will be sold between June 2 and 5. The money will go to good causes: the Doris Duke Foundation disperses around $US50 million a year. As for Lafferty,[url=http://duveticacanadashop.halod.com/][b]duvetica jackets canada outlet shop duvetica down jackets online sale[/b][/url], he died drunk in 1996. 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