Today is the anniversary of the birth of Marjorie Merriweather Post, the heiress who became one of the most important American jewelry collectors in history. We’re celebrating her legacy with a special article at Hidden Gems today, and I’ve also got some special bonus reading pieces here—plus a little peek inside her home-turned-museum from a generous reader!
A Glittering Jewel, A Pair of Habsburgs, and a Subpoena: The Napoleon Diamond Necklace (Part 1)
[Hidden Gems Exclusive]
When a Habsburg archduchess tried to sell an incredible heirloom necklace almost a century ago, the matter ended up in a Manhattan courtroom.
Museum Week: The Marie Louise Diadem
In 1810, France had a new teenaged empress, and Napoleon showered her with gifts of jewelry commensurate with her new station. Along with the grand state jewels that she was now entitled to wear, he presented her with several parures of jewelry to add to her personal collection. Marie-Étienne Nitot, court jeweler to the Bonapartes, created two suites of jewelry especially for the new empress. One was set with opals and diamonds, and the other was studded with diamonds and emeralds.
Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Royal Jewels
On this day in 1887, one of the most important jewelry collectors in American history was born. Marjorie Merriweather Post, heiress to a cereal fortune, absolutely loved collecting and wearing jewelry, including pieces with royal provenance. Today, we’ve got a look at six of these pieces, all of which reside today in a pair of American museums.
A Remarkable Art Deco Brooch from Cartier, Owned By Two Design Icons
In their recent Magnificent Jewels auction, the experts at Christie’s showcased a special brooch from Cartier, owned by two iconic women who had major impact on the world of art and design.
Book Review: Spectacular (2017)
Like most of you who read the blog, I’m an American, and I’m always excited to get to talk about a major jewel collector who was one of my fellow countrywomen. Marjorie Merriweather Post definitely fits the bill.
And for an even bigger bonus today, I’ve got a little peek inside Hillwood, Post’s famous estate in Washington, D.C. The home is now a decorative arts museum, and one of our lovely readers, Heather, recently had the chance to take a tour. She shared a few snaps from her visit, along with some comments on each. This photograph, she tells me, shows the house from the drive, adding, “It only had three bedrooms. She didn’t encourage overnight guests when she entertained.”
This photograph shows a view of Post’s elegant breakfast nook. “She always had Post branded products,” Heather tells me, adding, “She also had a huge greenhouse for the orchids.” The greenhouse is still in use today.
More culinary delights at Hillwood were served on various sets of fine china. Heather notes that this set is located in the museum’s Russian Porcelain Room.
Most of you will quickly recognize these treasures as Post’s Fabergé eggs: the blue Twelve Monogram Egg and the pink Catherine the Great Egg. “Neither have their surprises,” Heather explains. “They’re both in the Icon Room.”
And finally, we’ll leave you to start your weekend with a little moment of zen, courtesy this view of Post’s Japanese garden. Please join me in thanking Heather for sharing her wonderful photographs with all of us!
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