George 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven (Battenberg) and Nadejda (Nada) de Torby

[Martyn]

The diamond fringe tiara that had belonged to Princss Mary, the Princess Royal, Countess of Harewood, and which now belongs to the Grosvenors.

This jewel was sold, along with much of the princess's collection, after her death.  The Lascelles family still retain, however, the sapphire and diamond coronet that had belonged to Queen Victoria.

The fringe tiara can be taken from its frame and worn as a necklace.  English, c 1890

[Martyn]

And while we are on the subject of tiaras, here is Nada Milford Haven's ruby and diamond tiara, by Bolin....



According to Geoffrey Munn:
'A gold tiara in kokoshnik form, set with faceted and cabochon rubies and diamonds in the form of stars and crescents, fleurs-de-lys, trefoils and a central radiant heart.  Several of the motifs can be detached and worn as brooches.  Made by Bolin, for the Grand Duke Michael Michaelovitch, grandson of Tsar Nicholas I, for his bride Sophie de Merenberg, Countess Torby.  It passed to his daughter, Countess Nadejda of Torby, who married Prince George of Battenberg (later the second Marquess of Milford Haven).

I think that the tiara has subsequently been sold and returned to Russia?

[Martyn]

From left to right:
Nada, Marchioness of Milford Haven, the Countess of Airlie, Lady Zia Wernher and George, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven at the State Opening of Parliament, 15th January,1924.  Nada and Lady Airlie are attempting to wear their ancestral tiaras in the fashionable manner, low on the brow, in the style that the fashionable bandeau tiaras were meant to be worn; they both have shingled hair as well.  Zia looks quizically through a lorgnette and George looks dapper in morning coat, top hat, striped trousers and spats over his shoes.......

Nada's fur coat is very luxurious and she is wearing the Bolin ruby and diamond tiara.......

[Martyn]

Bingo, Martyn. And the furs---well the opening of Parliament is now usually in Nov. is it not ? So, if it was the same time of year then, I suppose furs could almost be justified. Like you said, though, the issue was not an issue then.

Hmm, hadn't thought of that....

As you say, fur was not an issue then......I know that it is wrong but it just looks so glamorous.....

Does anyone have any other photos of Zia as an adult; I have only ever seen this one and it just looks so comical.  I find it hard to reconcile the notion that she was imperious with this quizzical image of her looking like she feel out of a 20's laundry basket and peering through a dowager's lorgnette.........

[Mia]

I guess you've all seen these from NPG and Getty:

Here Zia is with Harold Wernher 1935:

Photo Getty.

And looking completely different. 25th May 1966: Racehorse owner, Lady Zia Wernher, with her horse 'Charlottown' after he won the Derby at Epsom.
http://cache.gettyimages.com/comp/3432505.jpg?x=x&dasite=MS_GINS&ef=2&ev=1&dareq=87F87E2DA3B163C4B3685A0F6613CDAF

Some small pictures on National Portrait Gallery. They don't get much bigger by clicking:
http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?search=ss&sText=wernher&LinkID=mp64930

[ChristineM]

Thank you for that Mia.   It is fascinating to see Lady Myra Butters (even in miniature) as a child.   We know her.   She runs - at least until recently - the Scottish arm of the Pushkin Prizes.  

The Pushkin Prizes in an annual literary competition for school children.   It was initiated a number of years ago by the Duchess of Abercorn.   She is the great, great, great, great granddaughter of the poet, Pushkin.  (I think there are enough 'greats', but I'm not certain).

tsaria

[Martyn]

Thanks Mia - very good of you to post those pictures of Zia; I can see a resemblance now between her and Nada and can forget that comical image of her with the lorgnette.......

Apparently the Bolin tiara is in Russia, or has been, as it was hoped that a buyer could be found for it there.  I think that Mar 30th was the deadline for the money to be raised for its purchase; I don't know whether this has happened or not.

If the Russian purchase does not go ahead, the present Marchioness of Milford Haven allegedly intends to split the jewel into its component parts and sell them separately........

[Martyn]

Idiot that I am, I was looking at that article from March 2004 in the ST P Times about the Bolin tiara- so I obviously still don't know what year it is!

[Jane]

Do my eyes deceive me, or is that Sydney Mitford, Lady Redesdale (mother of the Mitford girls), in the backround, between Nada Milford Haven and the Countess of Airlie?  If not, she's a dead ringer.

[Arleen_Ristau]

Martyn you are our fashion expert!  I am still hung up on the Countess Airlie's coat....what COLOR do you this this could possibly have been??  We have lots of fur back here in the mtns. of E. Tennessee, but we do not have fabrics like her coat.  What IS the fabric too??  Is this some of the inlaid fabric things that the Russians made in Paris in the 20ties.....you see, I have just read "Beauty in Exile" word for word, and the book is full of this stuff......
Many thanks for you opinion.
..Arleen  

[Martyn]

Martyn you are our fashion expert!  I am still hung up on the Countess Airlie's coat....what COLOR do you this this could possibly have been??  We have lots of fur back here in the mtns. of E. Tennessee, but we do not have fabrics like her coat.  What IS the fabric too??  Is this some of the inlaid fabric things that the Russians made in Paris in the 20ties.....you see, I have just read "Beauty in Exile" word for word, and the book is full of this stuff......
Many thanks for you opinion.
..Arleen  

Arleen I couldn't hazard a guess as to what the colour of Lady Airlie's coat might have been....

The pattern on it is quite bold - bolder than one thinks at first glance. I had assumed that it would be a silk damask or something of that ilk, but it may be printed.

Arleen, have you read the whole of 'Beauty in Exile'?  I am ashamed to admit that I have the book but have only read bits of it...Must get down to it and read it properly.

Arleen what is your take on the coat?  What do you think that the colour might have been?

[Mia]

I knew she wore some gorgeous tiara when she recently married but couldn't remember which one.

It was the Fabergé Myrtle Leaves tiara. An amazing piece of work. The leaves are so detailed with naturalistic veins and the stones fit perfectly between them.


Photo Fabergé Exhibition.

[Mia]

Still about the Bolin tiara and Zia. In Magdalena Ribbings book Smycken & Silver för tsarer, drottningar och andra. W.A. Bolin 200 år (Jewels & Silver for Tsars, Queens and Others. W.A.Bolin 200 år) it is stated that:

"Grand Duke Michael also commissioned from Bolin's a similar tiara set with cabochon-cut sapphires for his second daughter Countess Anastasia de Torby, who married Sir Harold Wernher of Luton Hoo. The present whereabouts of this sapphire tiara are not known.

SARAH, MARCHIONESS OF MILFORD HAVEN"

This is a curious story and I would love to believe that it is true. But where would this tiara be today?

[Martyn]

Still about the Bolin tiara and Zia. In Magdalena Ribbings book Smycken & Silver för tsarer, drottningar och andra. W.A. Bolin 200 år (Jewels & Silver for Tsars, Queens and Others. W.A.Bolin 200 år) it is stated that:

"Grand Duke Michael also commissioned from Bolin's a similar tiara set with cabochon-cut sapphires for his second daughter Countess Anastasia de Torby, who married Sir Harold Wernher of Luton Hoo. The present whereabouts of this sapphire tiara are not known.

SARAH, MARCHIONESS OF MILFORD HAVEN"

This is a curious story and I would love to believe that it is true. But where would this tiara be today?

How interesting Mia.  Thanks by the way for posting the correct Fabergé tiara worn at the Grosvenor wedding.  In all fairness an easy enough mistake to make as there aren't too many families that have more than one Fabergé tiaras in their collections!

As for Zia's Bolin tiara - if it indeed exists, surely it would still be in her possession?  Is it possible to ceck with her descendants to see whether they still possess her jewellery?  Surely a Bolin tiara would be something to hang on to?

However it is curious that in the photo that features Nada, Lady Airlie and Zia, Zia is the only one not wearing a tiara; the State Operning of Parliament is the occasion for donning one's tiara.......

[Mia]

I've been thinking of the same thing, Martyn. Zia standing there without a tiara though the others are wearing their's. She was married to a very wealthy man who could easily provide her whatever she desired. Maybe she just didn't like to wear jewelry.

But I'm sure that the if there were such a twin tiara with sapphires, it has left the family long ago. I've understood that the family has had monetary problems and even the magnificent Luton Hoo is sold.

But look what the Corbis had. I think it's interesting. Fabergé locket? Probably. The Wernher's Fabergé collection was famous.

Photo Corbis
"Decorative Locket
An ornamental locket enscribed with two names and a brooch with the dates 1891-1898 encrusted in stones stand in Luton Hoo, Bedforshire, England, UK."