Windsor Jewels Pt 7

[grandduchessella]

The other has surpassed 20 pages so am starting a new thread. There's an auction at Christie's of property that had belonged to Princess Mary's daughter-in-law Angela Lascelles. None of the jewelry items (and there aren't many) specifically list any royal provenance but it makes you wonder anyway given that many of the pieces date to the Victorian/Edwardian era:



A BELLE ÉPOQUE DIAMOND AND PEARL BRACELET
Of triple row design with collet-set diamond sections and pearl divisions mounted in platinum and gold, circa 1905, approximately 18.5 cm. long, please note that the pearls have not been tested for natural origin

[grandduchessella]

A CULTURED PEARL AND DIAMOND CHOKER
Composed of four rows of graduated cultured pearls to an old-cut diamond cluster clasp of rosette design, mounted in silver and gold, converted from a late Victorian brooch, circa 1880, approximately 37.0 cm. long

[grandduchessella]

A DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE BROOCH
The ribbon bow of scrolling openwork design set with single-cut diamonds and old brilliant-cut diamond collet accents with calibré-cut sapphire border and central detail, circa 1920, approximately 8.3 cm. wide

[grandduchessella]

A BELLE ÉPOQUE DIAMOND AND ONYX PENDANT
The openwork surmount set with rose-cut diamonds and calibré-cut onyx line deocration suspending a graduated rose-cut diamond tassel fringe, on a modern trace link chain, mounted in platinum, circa 1905, pendant approximately 7.5 cm. long

[grandduchessella]

A GROUP OF JEWELLERY
Comprising: a single row of graduated cultured pearls; a three colour orchid brooch with diamond and ruby accents; two gold tie pins; a cabochon moonstone and sapphire ring; an unmounted oval amethyst; a silver and enamel hand mirror, London import mark 1927; an eternity ring mount, stones deficient; and a paste eternity ring (9)

[grandduchessella]

A MID-19TH CENTURY CORAL TIARA AND BROOCH
The graduated tiara composed of branch coral sections with bead detail; the brooch designed as a clasped hand suspending various coral charms with chimera head surmount and fruit detail, adapted (2)

[Martyn]

That is a rather dull collection of jewellery, with the exception of the bow brooch, which with its shading of calibré-cut sapphires, puts me in mind of Marie Louise's Cartier tiara.......Still most of the good Harewood stuff was sold after the death of the Princess Royal, so perhaps there isn't much left.....?

The diamond tassel is rather lovely too.  Who ended up with Pcss Victoria's pendant tassel of pearls?  Didn't Pcss Mary get that?

[emeraldeyes1969]

Yes she did.  I will post photo later if no one beats me to it.


I was reading in Majesty about the exhibition re the royal wedding.  It says that the ruby and diamond necklace and the chandelier 'every modern cut of diamond' earrings that Princess Elizabeth received as wedding presents were in fact parts of the Greville bequest to Cookie.  Is this the first time this info has come to light?






The article also categorically states that the fringe tiara the princess wore was made up from diamonds that were taken from a wedding gift from Queen Victoria to Princess May as a wedding gift.  So there you go.  Slowly the mysteries are being solved.

[Eddie_uk]

EE dearest, I do recall reading that a while back. Possibily in the Suzy Menkes book. They are a lovely set of earrings and not seen enough! Perfect for a well behaved York Princess but not at all suitable for a common one.

Re: Angela Lascelles jewels, sadly she was the victim of a burgalry in 1961  they made of with her fur coat and a quantity of jewels including a diamond brooch that had belonged to Queen Mary...

[emeraldeyes1969]

EE dearest, I do recall reading that a while back. Possibily in the Suzy Menkes book.

hmm...will have to go back and re-read that section.  Ta, Eddieboy.

[emeraldeyes1969]

Victoria and Louise with their mother - Victoria wearing the pearl tassel.





A close-up and Princess Mary wearing the tassel.



Images from Famous Jewelry Collectors.

[Eric_Lowe]

Love the pearl tassle ! The diamond one is not bad too...Finally some royal jewels we can actually afford. 

[Martyn]

Mrs Greville's collection of jewellery was supposed to be very impressive, so it wouldn't be surprising if these jewels had indeed belonged to her.  The Field book simply lists these jewels as having been gifts from her parents and I don't recall what Menkes has to say (and one needs to exercise caution with whatever she does say......)

The earrings are simply superb but they may just well be a little too long and heavy for the Queen's taste nowadays.  I  seem to recall that the Queen had her ears pierced especially so that she could wear them (who wouldn't - I would do it myself if I thought these lovely jewels were coming my way!)

[Alexander1917]

This said the Royal Collection about them ( the pair were on display at this years BP opening)

"These earrings, which are designed to show the greatest possible variety of modern cuts of diamond including half moon, trapeze, square, pear, baguette and emerald, were among the magnificent jewels bequeathed by the Hon. Mrs Ronald Greville to Queen Elizabeth in 1942. Mrs Greville ordered the earrings from Cartier in December 1918 and in September 1922 Cartier supplied the six drops. The earrings were given by the King and Queen to Princess Elizabeth for her wedding in 1947"


Rereading Vickers Queen Mum Bio (p 232) he said :" a set of heavy chandelier earrings later given to P Elizabeth as a wedding present from her parents..."

[Alexander1917]

Yes she did.  I will post photo later if no one beats me to it.


I was reading in Majesty about the exhibition re the royal wedding.  It says that the ruby and diamond necklace and the chandelier 'every modern cut of diamond' earrings that Princess Elizabeth received as wedding presents were in fact parts of the Greville bequest to Cookie.  Is this the first time this info has come to light?






The article also categorically states that the fringe tiara the princess wore was made up from diamonds that were taken from a wedding gift from Queen Victoria to Princess May as a wedding gift.  So there you go.  Slowly the mysteries are being solved.

the ruby necklace....this said RC :"The necklace was ordered by The Hon Mrs Ronald Greville from Boucheron in Paris on 24 October 1907. It was among the splendid jewels bequeathed by Mrs Greville to Queen Elizabeth in 1942 and was given to Princess Elizabeth as a wedding present in 1947. The necklace was subsequently shortened by the removal of two of the smallest flower clusters."