British Royal Jewels of the Past

[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]

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]

Originally Posted by branchg

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]

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]

Originally Posted by qui mal y pense

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/...4637837gitGuC#

:)

[CasiraghiTrio]

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/f3...methyst202.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...methyst203.jpg