British Royal Jewels of the Past 1: Ending 2021

[Elspeth]

Thanks, that's working fine now.

I don't think we've seen this tiara for a while; there was also a necklace that was her wedding gift from Queen Victoria that was similar although I don't think they were made as a set. I don't recall seeing that necklace recently either.

 

[rebbevb]

It is now owned by The Earl and Countess Sussex. I think

 

[Lady Marmalade]

She certainly loved jewels...that is just gorgeous. I love the pearl choker around her neck as well.

 

[wymanda]

It is now owned by The Earl and Countess Sussex. I think

How are they related to Queen Mary?

 

[wymanda]

Thanks, that's working fine now.

I don't think we've seen this tiara for a while; there was also a necklace that was her wedding gift from Queen Victoria that was similar although I don't think they were made as a set. I don't recall seeing that necklace recently either.

If I remember correctly the necklace also had a tiara frame.

 

[Warren]

It's known as the Surrey Tiara, and hasn't seen the light of day for a very long time. Another consigned to those extensive vaults?

 

[Warren]

More is better

The more jewels the better, if you can pull it of. Queen Mary is the perfect example of how to wear as much as possible and still look incredible royal.

Quite. These pics demonstrate how it should be done, modelled by two of the foremost experts in the field.
pics courtesy Corbis.

Queen Alexandra 1902 Coronation . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . and Queen Mary

. . .

 

[Warren]

Here is a detail of Queen Alexandra's Coronation costume (Corbis) showing some of her amazing array of jewels, and more particularly the fringe 'girdle' or bordeur. Also note the huge diamond sunburst brooch in the centre of her décolletage.

Queen Alexandra's Diamond Bordeur

 

[ysbel]

Thanks Warren! Queen Alexandra knew how to wear the jewels so as to give us lots of hidden treasures to look for. I didn't notice the diamond sunburst or girdle before.

That was a coronation pic so it was probably required for her to wear a lot of significant jewels but the Leslie Fields book on jewels has a charming pic of Alexandra, her mother, and her daughter at Queen Mary's wedding which showed how well they really could pull off wearing a lot of jewels in a 'normal' situation.

Here is Alexandra, her mother, the Queen of Denmark and her daughter, the Duchess of Fife at Queen Mary's wedding.

Alexandra as usual is quite stunning:

But her mother Queen Luise really has the most impressive turnout.

note the size of the diamonds on her necklace

she decided not to wear the earrings that went with the necklace and decided instead to wear them as brooches

This is an excellent example of using something that in its original form would seem a little gaudy in a less attention getting manner.

Alexandra must have learned it from her mother.

 

[Warren]

Faced with the dilemma of which of the Cullinan Diamonds I to IV to wear, Queen Mary, being practical, decided to wear them all. At the same time.

Another old Corbis pic showing the Cullinans: in the Maltese cross of her Coronation circlet (arches removed); hanging from the lower collet necklace; and two hanging from her breast. Her gown would have required special reinforcement to bear the weight. All four diamonds are massive.

Queen Mary: Cullinans I to IV
(more is better)

 

[Marengo]

Oh thank you Warren and Ysabel. Although I can understand that Alexandra's coronation extravagance (I just love the fringe-gurdle) is a bit to much for todays royals, I think many of them could wear the same amount as Queen Mary, provided they keep their backs straight and their head high, without looking rediculous.

Crownprincess Mary of Denmark is the only younger royal who dared to wear a lot of jewels these days, I hope more will follow her example.

BTW, does Queen Elizabeth II wear the cullinans often (or 'granny's chips, as they are called at the royal jewels MB)?

 

[Warren]

Cullinan Diamonds, again

Here is another (cropped) Corbis pic showing Queen Mary and the four largest Cullinan Diamonds, I to IV. "Granny's Chips" (III and IV) are hanging from the necklace.

Queen Mary: Cullinans I to IV

 

[Toledo]

Mary looks like out of an illustrated fairy tale on that picture. Not only can she carry well the jewels without making the whole effect look too busy, but those big eyes of her do get the attention to focus on the person more than the surroundings. Makes me think of that expression the eyes are the mirror of the soul. How can anyone be mean to this lovely person is just beyond me.

In the next picture, I have to say is one of the first ones I've seen of Queen Mary, also on the eyes, looking almost relaxed! I remember my DVD, The Lost Prince, the banquet scene, were one prince ask his brother what is so strange about their mom (Queen Mary) that night and the other one responds 'she is smiling'.
On the jewels, Queen Mary like those stones big. It looks like the dress is also encrusted with gems.

 

[ysbel]

Wow this really shows the size of "Granny's chips" Warren. This looks like a coronation-type pic with the crown and the ermine mantle. Its been said that Queen Mary and Queen Alexandra had the perfect shoulders and bosom for displaying fine jewels.

How many carats are we looking at? I've seen women wear other stones that size but never diamonds.

 

[frafel]

A few small diamonds around the neck of Queen Mary!

 

[frafel]

Here you can see Queen Mary with King George V, if you look closely you could see that she had the Koh-I-Noor diamond detached from the queen consort's crown and had it temporarily put back on its brooch setting (Queen Victoria often used it when she wanted to wear the Koh-I-Noor as a brooch) and Queen Mary here has the brooch pinned on her sash. Hanging from the Koh-I-Noor brooch is the Cullinan I diamond!

 

[frafel]

A bit of pearl action for you folks here!

 

[reynard]

For the most part, the royal family has avoided selling anything that is closely connected to the Crown, but has certainly gotten rid of other pieces to pay death duties.

The Earl of Harewood sold off many of Princess Mary's sapphires, most of which were from Queen Mary, as did The Duke of Kent. Princess Alexandra sold some of her mother's diamonds in the 60's and even The Queen Mother sold off some of Queen Mary's jewels, notably an amethyst parure that Queen Mary received in a charity auction.

Queen Mary aquired this parure at an auction? Do you have any information about that?

from the auction photos

 

[branchg]

Queen Mary won the amethysts at a charity auction and had them set into the parure you see in the photo. Evidently, she only wore the parure once and then gave it to The Queen Mother as a gift.

The Queen Mother never wore the pieces and sold them.

 

[reynard]

What kind of charity event do royals go to ? There is a similar story about how some of the cambridge emeralds were aquired at a charity event. I've never seen a charity event that gives away precious jewels. I guess I just don't move in the right social circles . Where did you hear this story branchg?

 

[Gita]

Those amethysts are maginicent! I think they are absoultely beautiful.

 

[branchg]

It was common in the Gilded Age of the late 1800's and early 1900's for very rich or royal events to be staged for charity in which the guests were given tokens of jewels or unset stones as part of the occasion. It was a time of great displays of wealth.

Remember that in those days gems were not mined and controlled by huge cartels, so the value attributable to them was far less than they are today.

 

[qui mal y pense]

Empress Marie's Jewels bought by Queen Mary

Does anyone have information or photos of the Empress's jewels bought by Queen Mary from the Empress's daughter Xenia? There seems to be a great deal of secrecy surrounding the purchases.

 

[Gaël LE BOLLOCQ]

Does anyone have information or photos of the Empress's jewels bought by Queen Mary from the Empress's daughter Xenia? There seems to be a great deal of secrecy surrounding the purchases.

It seems to be difficult to make a list of those jewels. The conditions of the sale never were really transparent. Queen Mary wasn't very fare to her cousins...
Most publications show contradictions about this. (Field says the tiara given to the Duchess of Gloucester was bought from the Empress' daughters, Munn says it was made by Garrard ?)
Pieces bought during the public sale :
. The oval cabochon sapphire in a cluster of diamonds with a pearl drop brooch (often worn by Elizabeth II).
. The square cabochon sapphire in a cluster of diamond brooch (apparently, never worn by ERII).
. The pearl choker necklace with a square cabochon sapphire in a cluster of diamonds clasp (now worn by Anne, the Royal Princess).
Others ?

 

[stacy]

The subject of Queen Mary's loop tiara came up in another thread, here's a picture:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/84251320/1084252934044637837gitGuC#

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

Compilation of many British royal family tiaras

source of the altered pictures:

Supload.com // Free Image Hosting
Supload.com // Free Image Hosting

The "heads" wearing these tiaras include: Her Majesty the Queen; Diana, Princess of Wales (when she was The Princess of Wales, of course); Princess Michael of Kent; HRH Princess Anne the Princess Royal; and HRH The Duchess of Gloucester. Oh and (the black and white one) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother....and I almost forgot,well I did forget.... the former HRH The Duchess of York (Sarah, Duchess of York)........and one tiara, the Poltimore (sp?) of Princess Margaret's collection pictured on auction at Christie's (or was it Sotheby's?)

 

[michelleq]

Does anyone have a photo of Queen Mary wearing her Amethyst Necklace and/or Tiara? The one she left to Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.

 

[HRH Mims]

my favorites ones. I think, they all are from BRF.
(sources: poltimore tiara from gettyimages
the rest is from: tiaras a history of splendour)

 

[HRHAmy]

Those are beautiful! I like the second one with the sapphires the best! Thanks for posting them.

 

[HRH Mims]

And has anyone infos about this Amethyst parure?
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/Mims111/Amethyst202.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/Mims111/Amethyst203.jpg