Hohenzollern Jewels

[Alejandro Spain]

Some of Dona's pieces:

diamond tiara set with aquamarines

tiara of brilliants and emeralds

a 'small' diamond tiara consisting of a diamond base with 7 diamond flowers with each flower is also topped with a diamond

tiara of diamonds and pearls

a diamond tiara with 4 large and 8 small trefoils with a base consisting of a wreath of acorns and oak leaves, centering on a crowned and winged crest of the German Imperial Family. Wilhelm II designed this tiara and it was a gift for their silver wedding anniversary in 1906

emerald & diamond tiara from the first quarter of the 19th century. It is designed as a graduated bandeau of triple laurel leaves, highlighted with 13 larger millegrain-set round daimonds simulating buds, interspaced with five pairs of diamond-capped pear-shaped cabochon emeralds, one irreglarly vaceted, mounted in silver and gold. It is probably of Russian origing, dating from the first quarter of the 19th century an arrived through descent in the House of Prussia rowerds the end of the century. Dona received this tiara from Wilhelm at the time of their anniversary in 1906 and it was eventually inherited by Victoria Louise. It was sold in 1974.

Dona also had many gorgeous sets of pearls which she often wore in long, looped strands.

Hello! Do you have photos of these tiaras? I can't see the pics that you posted

Do you know where are the Crown Jewels of Prussia and Germany (crowns...)?

Regards and thanks!

[Alejandro Spain]

One is the Meander Tiara (which has a Greek key design on the top and bottom) the other is her Faberge Tiara. The former was presented to Cecile on her wedding day by Crown Prince Wilhelm and was worn by Grand Duchess Kira at her wedding.The Faberge was received as a wedding gift from her russian relatives, thus the kokoshnik design. She wrote in her last will about a diamond diadem with 15 stones of 13,9 carat and about 2300 smaller brilliants. That could be this one. Her daughter Cecile wore it at her wedding.

Do you know who gave the Greek tiara to Ceclie?

Where are nowadays these tiaras?

Regards and thanks!

[Naslednik Norvezhskiy]

Do you know where are the Crown Jewels of Prussia and Germany (crowns...)?

Modern model of the original appearance of the diamond-studded crown of King Friedrich I of Prussia, today exhibited in Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin:


The Prussian Crown Jewels: The crown (as it looks today: a gold frame devoid of diamonds), orb and sceptre, exhibited in Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin:

According to Lucien's great link they are evidently "on tour" at Oranienburg Castle outside Berlin until mid-June this year.

Wilhelm II's never-worn "Hohenzollern House Crown", today exhibited at Hohenzollern castle in Baden-Württemberg:
....

The German Empire never had actual imperial regalia, although a heraldic crown was designed:


The ancient regalia of the Holy Roman Empire are exhibited in the Treasury of the Hofburg palace in Vienna.

Regarding earlier posts about Hohenzollern jewels which disappeared after WW2:
I seem to remember reading that Wilhelm I also had a crown made for his coronation as King of Prussia and that this crown was stored in a salt mine in the Prussian province of Saxony (modern Saxe-Anhalt) during the war. It disappeared.

[Naslednik Norvezhskiy]

The German Wikipedia really has a very good illustrated article about the Prussian Crown Jewels, which easily can be translated with Google Translate: Wikipedia: Preußische Kronjuwelen.
More pictures here: Wikimedia Commons: Prussian Crown Jewels

As can be seen there seems to be differing opinions about (and models of) exactly how diamond-studded the crown of Friedrich I was, but a contemporary account from the Prussian Master of Ceremonies Johann von Besser tells that the frame was totally covered so that it appeared to be made of diamonds, not gold.

Correction of the WW2 disapperance story: The Prussian Crown Jewels were taken from the then Hohenzollern Museum in the Monbijou Palace in Berlin to Königsberg for safekeeping, then to a mine in Thuringia. From there the Americans brought them to Hesse (Friedrichshof?) before they were returned to the family and/or state. Somewhere along the way the Crowns of Wilhelm I and Augusta went missing along with the cheap nickel silver models of crowns for the German Emperor and Empress and the Prussian Nuptial Crown. The Hohenzollern Crown of Wilhelm II was found in the wall of a Westphalian village church!

I can't see whether the arched and unarched Electoral Caps of the Electorate of Brandenburg seen on the pre-WW2 photos have survived, but the arched one probably looked a lot like the Austrian Archducal Cap to the left and the unarched certainly looked like the Saxonian Electoral Cap to the left:

........

[HerrKaiser]

Great review Roerik! It looks like WII modeled his crown after that of Frederich I.

I think the Prussia sense of scale when it came to regalia was much more reasonable and becoming than most houses.

[Naslednik Norvezhskiy]

I think the Prussia sense of scale when it came to regalia was much more reasonable and becoming than most houses.

The old Prussian maxime: Mehr sein als Schein...... (Though I guess covering a "simple" golden crown with diamonds is the direct opposite of "being, rather than appearing"!)
It's interesting that the Prussian love for black (Order of the Black Eagle etc.) is expressed in the unusual dark colour of the orb.

[Eric_Lowe]

Thanks for the info on the crowns. fasinating ! BTW I think Cecilie's wedding photo with the tiarahas been posted before. I think at the Louis Ferdinand page.

[grandduchessella]

Some of Dona's pieces:

diamond tiara set with aquamarines

tiara of brilliants and emeralds

a 'small' diamond tiara consisting of a diamond base with 7 diamond flowers with each flower is also topped with a diamond

tiara of diamonds and pearls

a diamond tiara with 4 large and 8 small trefoils with a base consisting of a wreath of acorns and oak leaves, centering on a crowned and winged crest of the German Imperial Family. Wilhelm II designed this tiara and it was a gift for their silver wedding anniversary in 1906

emerald & diamond tiara from the first quarter of the 19th century. It is designed as a graduated bandeau of triple laurel leaves, highlighted with 13 larger millegrain-set round daimonds simulating buds, interspaced with five pairs of diamond-capped pear-shaped cabochon emeralds, one irreglarly vaceted, mounted in silver and gold. It is probably of Russian origing, dating from the first quarter of the 19th century an arrived through descent in the House of Prussia rowerds the end of the century. Dona received this tiara from Wilhelm at the time of their anniversary in 1906 and it was eventually inherited by Victoria Louise. It was sold in 1974.

Dona also had many gorgeous sets of pearls which she often wore in long, looped strands.

Hello! Do you have photos of these tiaras? I can't see the pics that you posted

Do you know where are the Crown Jewels of Prussia and Germany (crowns...)?

Regards and thanks!

I can try to find them and bring them back--they  must have expired.

[Eric_Lowe]

Yes. Thanks. The photo also belong here in this thread. 

[grandduchessella]

I didn't know the thread existed when I posted. It was created the same day I posted, about 10 minutes apart, I believe because of the jewels discussion that had spun off. I was probably in the midst of posting when Herr Kaiser created it. 

[Eric_Lowe]

Yes. I think it is also illustrated in Marlene's book, but I won't suggest anyone post it here from her source.

[Alejandro Spain]

Victoria Augusta:

Victoria Augusta:

[HerrKaiser]

Victoria Augusta:

Victoria Augusta:

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/9799/438pxbundesarchivbild10.jpg

this is one William designed and had made for Dona. She wears it well. Much nicer looking when worn farther back on her head so the florals do not compete with her face and other jewelry.

thanks for re posting these Alejandro Spain!!!

[Eric_Lowe]

I think it looked lovely on Dona. Who said it was ugly ?

[grandduchessella]

I think the opposite for the reasons I'd listed before. I think her large hairdo needed a heavier, more majestic tiara. This one seemed to dainty for her physical stature. Love her necklace & brooch though--anyone know the stones?