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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Archives for April 2014

Jewel History: Lady Salisbury and the Tiara (1888)

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Queen Alexandra wearing the tiara [1]
“Lady Salisbury and the Tiara”
(originally appeared in the New York Times on 29 April 1888)

There have been endless squabbles and “tracasseries” [2] about the tiara which was presented to the Princess of Wales by her “lady friends” [3]. The amount subscribed was very much smaller than had been anticipated, for the sort of people who consider it expedient to take every opportunity of toadying to royal personages thought, as might have been expected, that  it would “pay” better to present a separate personal gift, rather than to take part in a joint offering of which only the leaders would get the credit.

The final dispute between Lady Salisbury [4] and “Lady A.” [5] was very funny; but, although the Prime Minister’s spouse tries hard to be “très grande dame,” she has hitherto failed dismally in this attempt, and, instead of playing the part of Lady Palmerston [6], her social business has positively damaged her husband, for, with a vast deal of fuss and bustle, she only makes herself ridiculous by her arrogant pretensions.


NOTES, PHOTO CREDITS, AND LINKS
1. Cropped version of a photograph in the public domain due to age; source here.
2. The word loosely means “hassles” or “annoyances” in French.
3. That tiara is Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara, made by Garrard in the fashion of the Russian kokoshnik tiaras that were so popular at the imperial court of Alexandra’s sister, Empress Marie Feodorovna of Russia. The tiara was given to the Princess of Wales as a silver wedding anniversary gift, by a committee of the “Ladies of Society.” Alexandra wore the tiara to the wedding of her son, the future King George V, in 1893.
4. Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil, Marchioness of Salisbury (1827-1899) was the wife of the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury. He served as prime minister three separate times, including at the time of this article’s publication.
5. Maria Brudenell-Bruce, Dowager Marchioness of Ailesbury. The other ladies heading the committee included Charlotte Spencer, Countess Spencer (wife of the 5th Earl Spencer) and Emily Boyle, Countess of Cork (wife of the 9th Earl of Cork).
6. Emily Temple, Viscountess Palmerston (1787-1869) was the wife of the 3rd Viscount Palmerston, who was twice prime minister during the nineteenth century; she was also the sister of another prime minister, Lord Melbourne. Emily is being held up here as the example of a perfect political wife.

On the Block: Royal Jewels at Sotheby’s

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Next month, a collection of jewelry will be going up for sale at Sotheby’s in Geneva that includes a number of items owned by royals. Here’s a rundown of some of the lots that may be of interest to all of you — including a couple of mysterious items with anonymous royal connections.
  • The Rosenborg Kokoshnik Tiara (Lot 450). After failing to sell at auction at Bukowski’s, the garnet, diamond, and pearl kokoshnik tiara that belongs to a junior noble branch of the Danish royal family is up for sale once more. The price of the tiara, which was made in the 1930s by Dragsted, has been significantly reduced from its last offering. The most recent wearer of the tiara was Countess Ruth of Rosenborg, who died in 2010. The family is descended from Prince Axel of Denmark (a grandson of King Christian IX) and Princess Margaretha of Sweden (the sister of Crown Princess Martha of Norway and Queen Astrid of Belgium).
  • The Pearls of the House of Orange (Lot 384). This necklace, made of pearls with a sapphire and diamond clasp, is being sold by Prince Eduard of Anhalt. The pearls belong to descendants of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange and his wife, Princess Amalia of Solms-Braunfels. The clasp of the necklace was reportedly added during the Napoleonic era.
  • The Staatholder Pearl (Lot 385). Also from the Anhalt collection, the natural pearl pendant on this necklace is another legacy from the House of Orange. It was worn by Henriette Catherine of Nassau at her wedding to Prince John George II of Anhalt-Dessau in 1659, and has been worn by family brides up to the 1960s. (Additionally, the Anhalts are also offering a diamond and Ceylon sapphire ring, dated to the 19th century, in the sale.)
  • The Dowager German Empress’s Pendant (Lot 382). This pearl and diamond pendant, which dates to the late 19th century, was part of the jewelry collection of Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz, the second wife of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany.
Along with these pieces, all of which advertise their royal provenance as a part of the auction notes, the sale also contains these pieces, being auctioned anonymously by royals:
  • A Diamond and Pearl Floral Brooch (Lot 326). Offered by “a member of a royal family.” The late 19th century brooch is described as “a floral spray brooch accented with natural pearls and pear-, cushion-shaped, circular-, single-cut and rose diamonds.”
  • A Synthetic Sapphire and Diamond Demi-Parure (Lot 325). Also offered by “a member of a royal family.” (Possibly the same royal, given the consecutive lot numbers?) The demi-parure consists of two pieces, a necklace and a bracelet, “composed of alternating pinched collet-set circular-cut synthetic sapphires and diamonds.” Additionally, the necklace has five detachable pendant drops.
  • A Yellow Diamond Demi-Parure (Lot 488). Part of “a royal private collection.” Made by Harry Winston, this demi-parure consists of four pieces: a necklace, earrings, a bracelet, and a ring. (Which, if you ask me, makes it a complete parure, but I’m not in charge of the lot notes at Sotheby’s.) Most of the diamonds are described as having a “yellow tint,” but the ring is set with a 16-carat fancy yellow pear-shaped diamond.
  • An Emerald and Diamond Parure (Lot 489). Also part of “a royal private collection” (surely the same one as the previous lot). The set includes a necklace, a ring, and earrings. The emerald set in the diamond necklace is a 53-carat Colombian emerald; the emeralds set in the ring and earrings are heart-shaped.
So, if you had a spare bundle of cash laying about, which one of these lots would you bid on? Are you surprised that some of these pieces are being auctioned? And — most importantly — which royals do you think are selling their bling anonymously???