Masterpiece of the Week: The Queen Mother’s Ruby Necklace, 1907

Necklace
Boucheron, 1907
Rubies, Diamonds, Gold
The Royal Collection

A close friend of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and King George VI, the Honorable Mrs. Ronald Greville was known for her beauty, style and impeccable taste. Mrs. Greville was a keen collector of jewels, and during her life amassed an unprecedented assortment of diamond and gemstone pieces.


Upon her death in 1942, Mrs. Greville bequeathed her amazing collection to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother presented her daughter (now Queen Elizabeth II) with many of the pieces from Mrs. Greville’s collection on the day of her wedding in 1947.

This magnificent necklace was among those jewels given to Her Majesty on her wedding day. Created specifically for Mrs. Greville by Boucheron in Paris in 1907, the necklace of diamonds and bold red rubies is the epitome of Edwardian style with its floral pattern and dense settings.

The only change to the necklace since being presented to the Queen in 1947 is that it has been shortened by the two smallest, uppermost, flower clusters.

Object of the Day: A Souvenir of the Life of the Queen Mother, 2002

Not all Royal souvenirs were created to commemorate a coronation or marriage. Sometimes, items were made to celebrate the life of a member of the Royal Family after a death.


This mug, made in 2002, is a tribute to the life of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother who passed away at the age of 101. Throughout her lifetime, she was a constant source of support for her husband, King George VI, throughout World War II and until his death; she saw the ascension of her daughter to the throne and served as a trusted advisor for decades.

Featuring a beautiful portrait of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in some of her collection of beautiful diamonds, the mug’s body is predominately the robin’s egg blue which Her Majesty often wore. The reverse of the mug honors the Queen Mother with the dates of her birth and death.

Gifts of Grandeur: Queen Elizabeth’s Star of the Order of the Garter

Star of the Order of the Garter
English, 1923
Diamonds, Enamel
The Royal Collection

Traditionally, when a member of the Royal family of Britain marries, a new title or honor is bestowed on either one or both of the betrothed. We saw this most recently when Prince William of Wales and Katherine Middleton were created the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge respectively on the day of their wedding.


When the future King George VI married Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later known as “The Queen Mother”) in 1923, he was given this star upon his investiture with the Order of the Garter. George VI presented his daughter, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II), with this star upon her investiture with the Order of the Garter prior to her 1947 wedding.

HM Queen Elizabeth II
Cecil Beaton, 1968
The Royal Collection

A masterpiece of diamonds and enamel, the Queen often wears this garter star—as seen in this photograph by Cecil Beaton from 1968.

Mastery of Design: Queen Elizabeth II’s Ruby and Diamond Necklace, 1964

Ruby and Diamond Necklace
English, 1964
The Royal Collection

Before being given to Her Majesty, the Queen, in 1964, this exquisite necklace of flat-cut rubies and brilliant-cut diamond clusters was actually a simple necklace, separate pendant and pair of earrings from the famed Baring Collection of jewels. The earrings and pendant were adapted into the design of the necklace in 1964.


One of several pieces of rubies and diamonds owned by the Queen, this is, by far, one of the most extravagant. Still worn by Her Majesty, this necklace is one of the few pieces in regular rotation in her wardrobe.

Gifts of Grandeur: Queen Elizabeth II’s Aquamarine and Diamond Tiara, 1957

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II happens to have quite a few tiaras at her disposal. She also happens to wear all of them, though not at once. A good many of them were gifts—particularly from her grandmother, Mary of Teck. This particular one wasn’t a gift, per se, but it was crafted from several gifts given to the Queen for her 1953 coronation.

Aquamarine and Diamond Tiara
1957-1971
Adapted by R. & S. Garrard & Co.
The Royal Collection

When originally constructed in 1957, this tiara featured three upright stones which matched the central portion of the tiara. All three were detachable and could be worn as brooches. The stones rose gracefully from a simple platinum and diamond band.

As a Coronation gift from the people of Brazil, Queen Elizabeth II was given a luxurious suite of aquamarine pieces. In 1971, the Queen had several of these aquamarine pieces adapted into additions to this tiara. The two flanking stones were removed in favor of these aquamarine and diamond scrolls and the central stone was replaced with the centerpiece from a particularly beautiful diamond and aquamarine necklace from the Brazilian suite.

The resulting tiara incorporates the original head-band with these adapted pieces, creating an unusual work of dazzling blue and sparkling diamonds. Her majesty frequently wears this tiara with the remaining pieces from the Brazilian suite and other items from her collection of aquamarines.

Object of the Day: A Cup and Saucer from the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

When we think of Queen Elizabeth II, we tend to think of her as the perfectly-coiffed sovereign with her rigid, white hair and ubiquitous blue handbag. However, sixty years ago, she was a fresh-faced, sporty princess who was known for her beauty and girlish charm.


This commemorative cup and saucer by Royal Art Pottery in Longton, England was produced for the 1953 Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It’s quite a lovely little set of a delicate bone color with scalloped edges. What’s unusual about this set is the image of Elizabeth II. Instead of the usual formal portrait which is often centered on such items, these bear a less formal likeness of the Queen in an almost candid shot. She looks quite young in her tam o’ shanter and Scottish garb. Images such as this one show Elizabeth as the keen sportswoman that she is and also serve to cast her in her role as Sovereign of Scotland.

I love this cup and saucer because of its contrast with the images of the Queen in her formal court robes. It reminds us that, at heart, she’s a very down-to earth (for a Queen) person.

Sunday Viewing: The King’s Speech, 2010

Screenwriter Davis Seidler long had a fascination with King George VI. As a child, Seidler had also worked to overcome a stammer and was inspired by the story of the reluctant King whose speech impediment caused him considerable distress. While researching the life of King George VI, Seidler discovered that His Majesty’s stammer was greatly improved after working with a speech therapist, Lionel Logue.

The Queen Mother, wife of the late King George VI, would not give her permission for the details of her husband’s association with Logue to be revealed until after her death. Upon her death in 2002, Seidler wanted to begin on the project again, but health problems prevented him from doing so. Finally, in 2009, he began the screenplay that would become The King’s Speech. Initially, he used creative license to recreate the interactions between Logue and King George VI. However, nine weeks before shooting, Logue’s diaries were found and actual exchanges were introduced into the script.

Directed by Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech stars Colin Firth as King George VI (he received an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his portrayal), Helena Bonham Carter as the future Queen Mother, Geoffrey Rush as Logue, Claire Bloom as Mary of Teck (the mother of George VI and Edward VIII) along with Sir Derek Jacobi and Guy Pearce. Filmed in and around London in a variety of locations meant to double for Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, the film was lauded for its visual historical accuracy.

The picture concerns not only King George VI’s struggle with his speech impediment, but also his conflicting feelings about the abdication of his brother, the brief King Edward VIII. Firth and Bonham Carter portray the Duke and Duchess of York as an intimate couple who are strong in their commitment to one another and to their country and who are caring parents of their two children, Princess Elizabeth (the present Queen) and Princess Margaret Rose.

Though the picture takes some dramatic license with facts, it is mostly quite accurate. Any inaccuracies can be overlooked in favor of the brilliant performances and stunning visuals. This is one film that deserved the attention which was lavished upon it and is a must-see for any anglophile, history buff or lover of excellent cinema.

Saturday Sparkle: Queen Elizabeth II’s Wedding Bracelet, 1947

Diamond Bracelet
Philip Antrobus, 1947
English
The Royal Collection

For their 1947 wedding, Prince Philip (now the Duke of Edinburgh) wanted to present his bride (now Queen Elizabeth II) with a fitting token of his affection. Philip’s mother, Princess Andrew of Greece, offered her son the brilliant-cut diamonds from one of her tiaras so that they could be reset into a new piece of jewelry for the woman who would become Queen of England.


Prince Philip commissioned London jeweler Philip Antrobus (of 6 Old Bond Street) to create this magnificent bracelet in a very late-1940’s style. The diamonds are gorgeous in their platinum setting and show that despite his gruff exterior, Prince Philip might just have some of the artistic sensibility demonstrated by Prince Albert in the mid Nineteenth Century.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Dorset Bow Brooch, 1893 (Reposted from May 12, 2011)

The Dorset Bow Fan
English, 1893
The Royal Collection

This exceptionally fine diamond brooch helped start a trend in jewelry design, giving rise to the popularity of “bow brooches,” a style which endures to this day. The brooch was a gift to Mary of Teck on the occasion of her marriage (to the future King George V) in 1893.


When Mary’s granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) married in 1947, this was among the many exquisite diamond pieces which Queen Mary lavished on the young bride.

Unfolding Pictures: The Eu Fan, 1886 (Reposted from May 12, 2011)

Antique Hand Fan
Eugène Lami, 1886
French
The Royal Collection

This fan with its splendidly painted leaf, magnificent carved ivory sticks and guards with applied silver, diamonds, rubies and sapphires which form the letters “M.A.” had long been admired by Mary of Teck who had an eye for such things.


The fan was the property of French Queen Amélie and represented the work of one of the finest fan-makers in France, Eugène Lami. The fan’s leaf depicts a scene of the Château d’Eu, the country residence of the Orléans family, as it would have appeared in the Seventeenth Century.

Queen Amélie bequeathed the fan to Queen Mary upon her death in 1953, but Queen Mary died weeks later and never received the fan. It was delivered to HM Queen Elizabeth II—Queen Mary’s granddaughter--in 1954.

Sculpture of the Day: A Bust of Queen Elizabeth II as a Princess, 1937

Princess Elizabeth
Sigismund de Strobl, 1937
Marble
The Royal Collection

Her Majesty, the Queen, has been the subject of portraits ranging from photographs to sculptures since she was a young girl. This beautiful marble bust, sculpted when the subject was a nine-year-old princess, is the work of Hungarian sculptor Sigismund de Strobl. De Strobl worked on the bust for two years, completing it in 1937.


The sculpture proved so popular that it was reproduced in porcelain and remains one of the most enduring images of the youth of the present Queen.

Saturday Sparkle: Queen Mary’s Stomacher, circa 1920

Queen Mary's Stomacher
Circa 1920
Gold and Diamonds
The Royal Collection

I love the word “stomacher.” The term often refers to a decorative fabric panel of a triangular shape that fits into the front of a woman’s gown at the bodice. It also refers to a similarly shaped piece of jewelry which is worn in the same spot on a gown.


This stomacher was made for Mary of Teck around 1920, possible by Garrard’s. This magnificent work of gold and diamonds is actually three brooches that can be worn as one piece or individually. It was constructed from the large diamonds from two of her wedding presents: the “Kapurthala” stomacher and the ‘Town of Swansea’ crescent, both given in 1893. Queen Mary wore the stomacher frequently and made it a gift to her granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) on her wedding day in 1947.

Gifts of Grandeur: Queen Mary’s Diamond Bangles, 1893

Pair of Gold and Diamond Bangles
Presented to Mary of Teck in 1893
The Royal Collection

In 1893, as a wedding gift, Mary of Teck (after 1911, known as Queen Mary), was presented with a gorgeous pair of gold and diamond bangles by the Bombay Presidency. Knowing how much Mary loved sparkly things, I’m pretty sure she liked them.


There were two things that Queen Mary cared for more than art and jewels—her family and her country. In 1947, she presented these bangles to her granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Queen Mother’s Diamond Chandelier Earrings, 1918

Pair of Diamond Chandelier Earrings
Cartier, 1918 and 1922
Commissioned by The Hon. Mrs. R. Greville
Bequeathed to the Queen Mother, 1942
Presented to Queen Elizabeth II, 1947
The Royal Collection

The original owner of these magnificent earrings was the Honorable Mrs. Ronald Greville who asked Cartier to create the pair using every conceivable cut of diamond. In 1918, Cartier presented Mrs. Greville with the earring sans the six large pear-shaped drops. In 1922, the jewelers are Cartier added the drops, giving the finished product an astonishing variety of modern diamond cuts: half moon, trapeze, square, pear, baguette and emerald.


These were among the magnificent collection of jewelry which Mrs. Greville bequeathed to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, upon her passing in 1942. In 1947, the Queen Mother gifted the earrings to her daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II, as a wedding gift.