British Royal Jewels of the Past

[Warren]

Originally Posted by HRH Queen Mary

I know Queen Victoria had a vast bulk of jewelry..

You'll find that most of these pieces are already covered in this and the Queen Elizabeth tiaras/necklaces/brooches threads, so we don't need to duplicate.

[GillW]

Originally Posted by HRH Queen Mary

These are what I think are jewellrys set with the Cambridge Emeralds:
Art deco Choker
Ladies of India Necklace

I believe there is a matching bracelet that goes with the necklace & choker, too.

[HRH Queen Mary]

But does anyone know what are the other pieces left by Queen Victoria? I think it hasn't seen light in years.

Queen Alexandra had a huge number of longgggggggg necklaces? Can anyone identify them?

[Sister Morphine]

I don't think they had names, they were just long strands of pearls or other jewels.

[banda_windsor]

she own a large number of jewelry collections. But upon the death of her husband, she refused to passed some jewelry, which actually had to be pass to the new Queen. in fact, she kept some for herself untill her death.

[auntie]

Originally Posted by banda_windsor

she own a large number of jewelry collections. But upon the death of her husband, she refused to passed some jewelry, which actually had to be pass to the new Queen. in fact, she kept some for herself untill her death.

Is that why we don't see QMary in the Kokoshnick Tiara?

[Warren]

Originally Posted by auntie

Is that why we don't see QMary in the Kokoshnick Tiara?

Queen Alexandra died in November 1925 so any heirloom jewels she had kept for herself would have passed to Queen Mary at that time.

[auntie]

Originally Posted by Warren

Queen Alexandra died in November 1925 so any heirloom jewels she had kept for herself would have passed to Queen Mary at that time.

So the jewells she wore, were the ones she preffered, why else don't we we see pics of QMary with that fabulous peice, and the Queens mother also for that point?

[Warren]

Acknowledgement goes to Eva at RJOTWMB, who presented this high-quality postcard of a youngish-looking and tightly-corsetted Queen Mary. (copyright expired)

A small bandeau-type hairpiece (a bracelet?)
Diamond earrrings
Diamond choker
Diamond collet necklace
...from which hangs a two-strand necklace
and all set off by Granny's Chips.

o

[iowabelle]

Originally Posted by HRH Queen Mary

But does anyone know what are the other pieces left by Queen Victoria? I think it hasn't seen light in years.

Queen Alexandra had a huge number of longgggggggg necklaces? Can anyone identify them?

Sometimes Alexandra embellished by adding costume pearl strands.

[joye]

I have been reading "King, Kaiser, Tsar" and it says that Q. Mary wore on her wedding day [Rose of York diadem with single diamond given her by Q. Victoria.]
Does anyone know anything about this particular tiara.?

[daisygoogles]

I think two of the best wearers of tiara and diadems has to be Queen Mary. here she wars the delhi durbur with Cullinan III and IV


The Girls of Great britian tiara

and
Queen Alexandra


The russian Kokoshnik Tiara.

[jcbcode99]

I have a question about Queen Alexandra's kokoshink tiara--did Queen Mary alter it? There was some discussion about this on the Royal Jewels of the World message board, and many felt that the little stone on the front was a hair pin or something--but the photos that show Queen Alexandra wearing it compared to the photos of Queen Mary lead me to think that the jeweled piece was original and removed and then the whole thing was tightened up and that is what we see now. Can anyone verify or dispute?

[branchg]

Queen Mary definitely "tightened" it up and altered it to the present form worn by The Queen. Queen Mary often altered and redesigned pieces in the royal collection to suit her taste.

[jcbcode99]

I think it looks much better than its original version.

[Prince of Chota]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

I have a question about Queen Alexandra's kokoshink tiara--did Queen Mary alter it? There was some discussion about this on the Royal Jewels of the World message board, and many felt that the little stone on the front was a hair pin or something--but the photos that show Queen Alexandra wearing it compared to the photos of Queen Mary lead me to think that the jeweled piece was original and removed and then the whole thing was tightened up and that is what we see now. Can anyone verify or dispute?

Well, one of the interesting characteristics of Kokoshnik or fringe tiaras is that each piece is attached only to the base, so it is free to move unless fastened into a frame. That is why they are often worn as necklaces or swag corsages as well. The tiara in question would not need to be altered from the version Alexandra wore to the version we see now, if the central jewel is indeed a hairpin. Hairpins were common in the 1870s and 1880s, so this seems viable enough. In order for the tiara to appear "tighter" as it did, for example, when HM wore it recently in Canada, it only need be fastened into a more restrictive frame.

[Thomas Parkman]

The kokoshnik is a very interesting form of jewelry. But unfortunately I have never cared for the piece in the British Royal collection. Many Russian pieces are however quite lovely. I suppose it is all a question of taste. I much prefer the Queen in the Queen Mary tiara or the Princess Vladimir. But there is in the Russian Crown Jewels a wonderful kokoshnik of gold brocade set with ancient diamonds and pearls. I have always wished they had set such a model with diamonds, emeralds and pearls. But then Alexandra had to have a kokoshnik because her sister the Empress Marie Fedorovna had a kokoshnik and who could blame her. Would that we all had such a problem. Cheers.

[auntie]

I always wondered why QMary didn't leave the GD Vladimir's to Princess Marina, as she was a granddaughter of the GDuchess, I suppose that it was to a grand peice to leave to a dowager duchess, who won't continue the dynasty of the Windsor's, Marie Christine would die to have that tiara!

[jcbcode99]

Anyone would die to have tiara! It can be worn three ways, making it one of the most usable tiaras in the collection. It can be worn without any drops, just the diamond circles (lovely), it can be worn with the pearl drops (stunning), or with the emerald drops (magnificant). I love that tiara.