British Royal Jewels of the Past

[Connie Cutmantle]

Actually Larry I read something similar to you about a connection to mourning too!

I think it had something to do with purple being one of the acceptable shade of half mourning during the Gluttonous mourning of QV!

I also read that during the same period the amethyst was associated with Bacchanalia and booze and that men used to give their wives a piece of amethyst jewelry as a coded reproof if they thought their old girl was getting a bit too fond of the old sauce and always seemed to have an alarmingly evil and cunning glint in their eye when they saw a tantalus. This may be an urban myth but I found it rather interesting!

Perhaps a combination of these two symbolic meanings coloured Cookie's attitude towards amethyst!

[Princejohnny25]

O Connie your a scream!, and of course you can call me Johnny.

Queen Vicky did want purple to be her morning colour so it would make sense for amethyst to be considered a mourning stone. I dont think the Queen Mum was much for focusing on negatives either so that maybe why she didnt like the stones. She didnt like Sapphires either which are considered to harbour negative energy. Or something of the sort.

But I had never heard about the saucy side to the stones, the things you learn on these forums.

[prince.of.preslav]

Originally Posted by Princejohnny25

Here is an image of Queen Mary wearing the now sold Amethyst Parure. Thanks to Bobby for posting this on another website. I saw it and just had to repost it.

http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/fi...ncessTeck1.jpg

I'm glad that pictures that I've posted on Pricescope have now found their place on this much respected (from me) site.

In the picture we see Queen Mary's wearing a brooch with a large round amethyst and a pear-shaped pendant. This brooch dosn't appear in any of the photos of the parure that I've seen. Is it possible that Cookie kept the brooch, or it was used to alter the necklace (the current version is longer than the one QM wore)?

Bobby

[jcbcode99]

Here's what I think-in this pic it looks as if Mary is only wearing the top part of the earrings.
http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/fi...ncessTeck1.jpg

This pic of the full parue shows the eararings, a brooch, necklace, etc..:
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...1&d=1092970214

I think she is doing something we actually saw Mary do quite often--she hung one of the earrings on a brooch. Now, which brooch it is I cannot tell you--just from looking at it though, it appears to have a sunburst detail and looks a bit like a cabochon to me--not that that means anything. It could be that the brooch has remained in the collection somewhere, or is with a family member that we don't know about. I've not seen a large amethyst on a British royal that I can think of--but I do believe that one of the earrings is hangin on the brooch.

[prince.of.preslav]

Thanks for the pictures, jcbcode99. I've seen the one showing the full parure, but always thought that the singe stone jewel is a ring, not a brooch. I also thought about the possibility that one of the earrings was hung, but wasn't sure. The top part of the brooch, as you say, has a sunburst detail and looks like a round cabochon, whereas the one from the 'group' picture is an oval faceted amethyst.
I hope that for some reason The late Queen Mother decided not to sell the brooch and The Queen (or even Camilla) might wear it some day.

Bobby

[Princejohnny25]

There is a wealth of info on that other forum but I dont know how to use it so I just reposted it here. You have so many great photos and info bobby! Thanks heaps for that!

[prince.of.preslav]

Johnny, I must admit that most of the thinks I know about royalty and their jewels are from this wonderful site.
I'd be happy if you join the other site too, because there's a lack of people extremely interested in royal jewels.
Last but not least, I'd like to thank all the posters here for their great work.

Bobby

[normalil]

Thanks from me too. The Amethysts which QEQM sold are my favourite jewels of all time. I agree that Anna Wintour has no idea how to wear that necklace, and that they would have suited Camilla. It's a shame we don't get to see the whole parure being worn, in full coulour. Wow.

[Lady Meg]

I don't know if anyone has posted anything on this yet, but I have these pics. This looks very much like Victoria's small crown. Wasn't it passed down and then put into the Tower for display?
I absolutely love The Rundell - I hope nothing happened to it, but you never know. Doesn't anything have sentimental value anymore? :(

http://image.wetpaint.com/image/3/C1...5553/GW276H350

[Lady Meg]

Originally Posted by Princejohnny25

Here is an image of Queen Mary wearing the now sold Amethyst Parure. Thanks to Bobby for posting this on another website. I saw it and just had to repost it.

http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/fi...ncessTeck1.jpg

Holy Cow! I was looking for a pic!! Thank you SOOOO much!!

[normalil]

Originally Posted by Furienna

Yeah, Mary of Teck really had a thin waist too.



I'm glad I wasn't a royal back then, because I would never have been able to pull that off.

I see in this photo, girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara. I am suprised because it is shown here with the border of diamonds at the bottom. I always thought that this border, to give added height, was an addition made by QE11. Help please Warren!

[Warren]

The Queen [Elizabeth II] first wore the tiara without the base. It is claimed that as the base was a separate piece it wasn't realised at the time that it formed part of the whole. Whether this story is true or not, the tiara and the base were eventually reunited.

[normalil]

Thanks for that Warren, it was really bothering me.
O I too peruse the royal jewel thread on pricescope. It almost as good as this one!

[Lady Meg]

I noticed in my sticker book an actual picture of Queen Victoria wearing a fringe tiara. Problem is, I only have 2 tiny stickers. Does anyone have a larger pic? Thanks! This is the first time I've ever seen it.

[Lady Meg]

Originally Posted by Lady Meg

I noticed in my sticker book an actual picture of Queen Victoria wearing a fringe tiara. Problem is, I only have 2 tiny stickers. Does anyone have a larger pic? Thanks! This is the first time I've ever seen it.

Never mind - I finally found it today - What exactly is this one called? Is it a small diamond tiara?

[Warren]

It's called the 'Sunray Tiara' and ended up with Princess Beatrice.

[Lady Meg]

Originally Posted by Warren

It's called the 'Sunray Tiara' and ended up with Princess Beatrice.

It's lovely. Suits Victoria since she wasn't into wearing heavy crowns/tiaras. Thanks!!

[Warren]

Here's a pic of Princess Beatrice wearing Queen Victoria's Sunray tiara atop a Greek key-type tiara.
Coronation of King George V, 1911.
pic not subjet to copyright.

[Tilia C.]

Thanks for posting this lovely picture, Warren. Do you know what happened to the tiara, is it still in the family or was it sold at some stage?
Anyway, I don't find the design very flattering, it looks too harsh and angular to me.

[Duchessmary]

Looks like it would hurt you putting it on!