Imperial Family Jewels

[Antonio_P.Caballer]

Thanks so much Lanie and Arturo for telling me , i´m so embarrassed i did not recognize the lady....

As Martyn has said i´m quite sure thare was another thread with much more information.

[grandduchessella]

Made by the jeweller Bolin there was a tiara and huge necklace.

 
I don't have any of Marie P wearing them, but here is Queen Marie of Yugoslavia (whose husband Alexander I apparently either bought them from his mother-in-law or they were given as a wedding gift). After the collapse of the Yugoslav monarchy, it was later bought by Van Cleef & Arpels, who removed the emeralds and replaced them with paste.





It always surprises me that there aren't more photos of Ella in her jewels as in her heyday she could rival Miechen's collection. Serge would shower her in them and she would sometimes change sets during balls (along with coordinating dress). I wish we could see more of them.  

[olga]

[Martyn]

Great pictures Ella, as always.  I agree, it is a shame that we don't have more images of Ella in formal dress with her jewels.
These emeralds must have been quite something in the flesh.  If you look at the photos of Mignon wearing them, you can see quite clearly how large they were.  I think that the necklace that she is wearing was remodelled for her (by Cartier?) from Ella's original necklace; nevertheless it is quite some piece of jewellery.  As a point of interest, her mother bought Miechen's sapphire and diamond tiara (which Pcss Ileana inherited) and a huge sapphire from the exiled Ferdinand of Bulgaria, which was suspended from the end of a wonderful diamond sautoir.
The only photo that I have ever seen of Maria Pavlovna in anything like formal dress is the photo taken at her wedding; her tiny figure looks swamped by her dress and jewels, some of which may be Ella's.

[Forum Admin]

From Martyn:

Ella's Aquamarine Tiara.

[Martyn]

I think that this tiara (I have awful problems typing that word) is actually from a suite of jewels that was sold fairly recently.
In another post, someone stated that this acquamarime parure had belonged to Ella's mother Pcss Alice and had passed to her.  Does anyone know if this is true?

[grandduchessella]

I think that this tiara (I have awful problems typing that word) is actually from a suite of jewels that was sold fairly recently.
In another post, someone stated that this acquamarime parure had belonged to Ella's mother Pcss Alice and had passed to her.  Does anyone know if this is true?

The first part is definitely true--that picture (and I think others) were listed on an auction part of a royal jewels site. Someone did post that it went to Ella. I think that's how it was listed on the site as well, but  am not sure.

[Lisa]

This is Maria Pavlovna and her emerald parure, gift of Ella (in fact her emeralds):

[Lisa]

Jewels of the wedding, wearing by Elena Vladimirovna in 1902:


The same, by Maria Pavlovna in 1908:

[Lisa]

The wedding tiara, made for Empress Elisabeth Alexeevna, about 1810's; dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, consort of Paul:

[Lisa]

A tiara made for Elisabeth Alexeevna, 1820's:

[Lisa]

The emerald parure, made by Bolin (tiara) and Fabergé (devant-de-corsage), 1900's for Alix and according to Twinning Alix and Ella. devanrt de corsage: recreation by Nicolaev and Alexachin, 1985. Alix by Bodarevsky.

[Lisa]

The sapphire parure made by Koechli, for Alix, mid. 1890's. Gift from Dagmar and Alexander III.

[Martyn]

Thanks Lisa for the great images.  In other pictures that I have seeen of the nuptial diadem (not the crown) the central diamond is a very subtle shade of pink.
I have never seen a picture of the necklace and corsage ornament that match the Kochli sapphire tiara; these jewels were commisioned by Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna for Alix upon her marriage.  In the portrait of Alix wearing this tiara for some reason the stones are depicted as rubies - artistic license perhaps on the part of the painter.
I have read the the Colombian emerald tiara was part of a suite of jewels that wre created for Ella and Alix; the tiara as you rightly say was made by Bolin and some of the other pieces by Cartier.  I have never seen the devant de corsage ornament before - is this a true recreation of the original?
Marie Pavlovna just does not look right in Ella's emeralds; they seem to be wearing her.  I think that Mignon does them more justice, so perhaps they found a better home.  Ella looks so stunning in her court costume and her emeralds - she must have been so beautiful.

[Lisa]

The devant de corsage is a recreation made by the jewellers Nicolaev and Alexashin ( I don't know how to spell it...) in 1985 for the Kremlin.