Research, Archives: Discussion, suggestions and questions

[QueenElizabeth]

Does anyone have a good quality picture of The Queen wearing the Australian Wattle brooch? Perhaps from The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall's service of prayer and dedication?

 

[Warren]

Have you checked out the first page of the Queen Elizabeth II Brooches thread? There are at least 3 pics of HM wearing the Wattle Brooch.

 

[QueenElizabeth]

Thank you Warren, but I indeed saw the photographs, but I don't like captions on photographs, because I am currently working on a database with the photograph of it and the definition and description of the brooch.
I have 40 brooches in my listings, but I am aware that I really do miss a lot, because GillW wrote some weeks ago that HM The Queen has more than 100 brooches.

 

[Warren]

Well, no-one wants a watermark on photos found on the internet, but as they are copyrighted images belonging to someone else, that's just the way it is.
If you're creating an archive there are cases where you have to accept whatever is available, and that may include some photos with watermarks.

 

[GillW]

Well, no-one wants a watermark on photos found on the internet, but as they are copyrighted images belonging to someone else, that's just the way it is.
If you're creating an archive there are cases where you have to accept whatever is available, and that may include some photos with watermarks.

It's always nice to come across un-watermarked pictures, but for the majority if you choose carefully - the ones where the mark is not across the jewel in question - you can build up quite a nice selection where the brooch can be seen fairly clearly.

Good luck with your project, QueenElizabeth, - I know how it can become all-consuming!!
By the way I have 115 items in my list to date, including several insignia badges for various associations, but not including Orders.....So you have a way to go yet....

I hope you will keep posting, especially if you come across anything really unusual that the rest of us may not be familiar with.

 

[Warren]

I think for all of us who've created archives of photos of whatever subject(s) we start off collecting everything we can. As we continue to find new images some of the old ones can be replaced with better/sharper/clearer/non-watermarked photos, and if we hit the jackpot, an HQ pic which can be cropped as desired.

I doubt that any of us has started an archive with only pristine pics. Part of the fun, the challenge, and the satisfaction, is not just increasing the range of items covered, but finding better pics for the ones we already have. I'm sure that Gill will agree that it's always a work in progress.

 

[GillW]

I think for all of us who've created archives of photos of whatever subject(s) we start off collecting everything we can. As we continue to find new images some of the old ones can be replaced with better/sharper/clearer/non-watermarked photos, and if we hit the jackpot, an HQ pic which can be cropped as desired.

I doubt that any of us has started an archive with only pristine pics. Part of the fun, the challenge, and the satisfaction, is not just increasing the range of items covered, but finding better pics for the ones we already have. I'm sure that Gill will agree that it's always a work in progress.

Oh, yes, there is no end to this project. Every day I either check for the latest engagement & delight in the surprise of HM's combination of outfit and gems, with the added bonus of a wonderful surprise slipped in 2 or 3 times a year. If there are no engagements on a particular day, then I may do a bit of browsing to fill some gaps retrospectively, either online or through some of my book and magazine collection.

I have a "page" for each brooch (M'soft Publisher) with illustrations and history, so when I come across new information on a piece I update the page, with references, as fully as I can. Those fill 2 fat binders....Every now & again I reprint any pages which have changed to keep a hard copy on photo quality paper (luckily I found a store closing down and bought some at a fantastically discounted price!) stored in clear wallet sleeves, with an Index, and all divided up into gem-colour.

I categorise them as
Diamonds - any colour, therefore the Wattle & the Williamson Pink fit here
Blue stones - aquamarines, sapphires and the like
Red stones - rubies, garnets
green stones - emeralds
Purple stones - amethyst
Pearls
Gold
Insigia (military etc)
Mixed stones
Non-gemstone

I also recommend trying to find a recognised and accepted name to use for each one, or a simple descriptive one for the lesser well known ones.

So that's my beginners guide to The Brooches Catalogue (Mine,by the way I actually call "A Brooch for All Seasons") Hope you find it helpful - I just KNOW you are going to have lots of fun (and some frustration too!)

 

[QueenElizabeth]

I fully understand yes. When I started browsing these pages, I began at 8 p.m. and sometimes I realised that it was 2 or 3 a.m. in the night when I finished a bit of research, but anyway it it nice to have the hard copy photographs in a binder with the description of the brooch, the necklace, the tiara, the bracelet, the earrings.
Leslie Field's book is a good source as well, but the pictures are dated and for that reason not really attractive, but you really need that book to be a bit wiser.

I have my binder with a section Queen Victoria, Queen Alexandra, Queen Elizabeth, Contemporary (only worn by the present Queen). But as you all know Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and Contemporary is lavish, but what is heritage from Queen Alexandra, what is presently worn as well?
I only have the Kokoshnik in Alexandra's heritage
And for Queen Victoria I have the following pieces: bow brooch, Albert brooch, diamond sunburst brooch (State Visit Sarkozy), William IV brooch, the ruby necklace, some earrings. That's it.

 

[QueenElizabeth]

GillW, thank you very much; if you want a good picture of the brooch The Queen wore, the book published by Majesty Magazine about 80 years of The Queen shows a magnificent huge picture of a laughing Queen. I scanned it to put in my database.
I have now about 50 brooches in my database. But the battle for brooches will go on.

 

[rubies]

GillW, thank you very much; if you want a good picture of the brooch The Queen wore, the book published by Majesty Magazine about 80 years of The Queen shows a magnificent huge picture of a laughing Queen. I scanned it to put in my database.
I have now about 50 brooches in my database. But the battle for brooches will go on.

Good Luck in your quest. Now you have joined the insane, looking for pictures, buying books, driving our husband crazy(oops maybe thats just me) with all of our jewelry data. It is a wonderful game, much cheaper than therapy!! I look foward to your posts and pictures!! You'll just have to buy a bigger bookcase

 

[muriel]

Good Luck in your quest. Now you have joined the insane, looking for pictures, buying books, driving our husband crazy(oops maybe thats just me) with all of our jewelry data. It is a wonderful game, much cheaper than therapy!! I look foward to your posts and pictures!! You'll just have to buy a bigger bookcase

Great. I only hope you will wonderful collectors will all generously share with us the great pictures that you will no doubt collect.

 

[GillW]

Good Luck in your quest. Now you have joined the insane, looking for pictures, buying books, driving our husband crazy(oops maybe thats just me) with all of our jewelry data. It is a wonderful game, much cheaper than therapy!! I look foward to your posts and pictures!! You'll just have to buy a bigger bookcase

If it's any comfort, you can assure your husband that he is not alone - mine is right there with him! I've run out of bookshelf space and am now piling books up in front of & beside them (and some shelves are already two layers deep...) But is IS a great escape, isn't it

 

[rubies]

If it's any comfort, you can assure your husband that he is not alone - mine is right there with him! I've run out of bookshelf space and am now piling books up in front of & beside them (and some shelves are already two layers deep...) But is IS a great escape, isn't it

It's nice to know I'm not the only one who does this!!

 

[QueenElizabeth]

I don't know where I can put it, but I have a scan from one of the pages of my jewellery inventory.

jewels008.jpg picture by Yoeri - Photobucket

jewels005.jpg picture by Yoeri - Photobucket

jewels002.jpg picture by Yoeri - Photobucket

 

[GillW]

I'd like to be the first to congratulate you on a really beautiful piece of work!!
Keep it up - you are building a really great collection of information there.
Well done.

 

[tiararesearch]

Tiaras research question - modern day designers and stories

Hello Royal Forums members -

I'm doing research on tiaras for an article in a design and culture magazine, and was hoping to be pointed in the right direction. I'm looking for artisans/craftsmen or small businesses who exclusively design tiaras or royal jewelery. Ideally, the tradition of making tiaras for this individual or business would be passed down through generations, or there would be a similarly interesting story behind the company. I'm thinking more bespoke than mass-production...

Also, I'd love to hear of tiara-related stories anyone has to share. For example, has a tiara ever malfunctioned at an inopportune moment (such as fallen off at a state dinner)? Is how a tiara stays on one's head a topic of discussion or is it a non-issue? References (books, links) for these stories would be helpful, but if not I can dig deeper on my own. Thanks for your help.

 

[EmpressRouge]

There are a few jewelry houses who have made pieces for royalty. Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpel come to mind. The Swedish House of Bolin made lots jewels for the tsars of Russia. Besides making eggs, Fabergé created jewels for royals, nobles, and the extremely and ultimately eclipsed Bolin in their service to the tsars.

One often-told tiara disaster story happened on then Princess (now Queen) Elizabeth's wedding day in 1947. The fringe tiara snapped in half before the ceremony but fortunately, the palace had a tiara first aid kit and it was fixed in time.

When Elisabeth of Bavaria married Emperor Franz Josef, their future aunt came to inspect the wedding gifts on display. The aunt's lace shawl got caught on a star tiara and it fell to the floor shattering. That's how Elisabeth started wearing stars in her hair, as seen in the famous Winterhalter portrait.

 

[Warren]

"Garrard" by Charlotte Gere and John Culme with William Summers, Quartet Books 1993, ISBN 0 7043 7055 7 not only gives an excellent history of the Crown Jewellers 1843-1993, but has many details and anecdotes concerning particular pieces.

 

[Thomasine]

This site although in French is a real treasure if you are interested in Royal Jewells.

Joyaux | Noblesse & Royautés - Part 1

 

[USAF_Veteran]

I have found a great way to keep up with her brooches I have found that wallet size photos, fit great in the plastic 9 pocket cover used for baseball cards. I can put the info on a piece of paper for the back side of picture. I can arrange them by year of each brooch.

 

[GillW]

I have found a great way to keep up with her brooches I have found that wallet size photos, fit great in the plastic 9 pocket cover used for baseball cards. I can put the info on a piece of paper for the back side of picture. I can arrange them by year of each brooch.

Would that be the year of receiving the brooch or the year of wearing in the photo? (Just curious -- love to hear about other peoples' record keeping)

 

[rubies]

I have found a great way to keep up with her brooches I have found that wallet size photos, fit great in the plastic 9 pocket cover used for baseball cards. I can put the info on a piece of paper for the back side of picture. I can arrange them by year of each brooch.

Oh I love that idea!! Maybe you could make one for each one of us on the forum.......Just kidding! Keep us posted of your progress!!

 

[marine2109]

Princess-decoration close-up

Who wore what in 2013? Earrings in different shapes do you see here

Prinsess-pynt i närbild | Svensk Damtidning

 

[HRH Bella]

question regarding royal jewerly

Is there a expert on royal jewelry on this site? Or someone who knows all about royal jewelry and how to identify them from different collections and from two different families.

 

[cepe]

Is there a expert on royal jewelry on this site? Or someone who knows all about royal jewelry and how to identify them from different collections and from two different families.

There are a lot of people who have knowledge of royal jewellery. It is probably best to ask your questions and I'm sure you will get a response.

 

[HRH Bella]

I was hoping someone could send me a private note regarding my questions!

 

[Lee-Z]

I was hoping someone could send me a private note regarding my questions!

But why? The whole point of this forum is so we can all learn from eachother's questions...
I for one am very interested in old jewelry questions, but have no expertise myself...

 

[cepe]

If you want a specific personal reply then you would still need to identify, for example, which royal family or country. People with really detailed knowledge tend to have specialised.

 

[HRH Bella]

Ok let me start with this question were diamonds and sapphires of 30+ ct cut the same way 150+ years ago?

 

[Warren]

Generally speaking, no.
What are termed "Modern cuts" tend to feature many more facets with more accurate facet angles and thus greater brilliance. This is due to the introduction from about 1900 of diamond saws, greatly improved lathes and mathematical models.