Dutch Saphire Parure - A closer lookArchived Message
Posted by John R on April 12, 2012, 11:05 pm, in reply to "Dutch Saphire Parure"
My theory is that perhaps some pieces were ordered and delivered together at the palace at some point but that does not make it a parure that was conceived as such by the jeweller.
The tiara and bracelet have a similar central element, Yes. But that's about it. The necklace does not match with the patterns (motifs) and the settings used in the tiara. The only match is the use of round sapphires graduaded in shape in both the tiara and necklace. Well.....
The tiara was reset in the 1930's in platinum so that explains the different use of metal (no yellow gold) and setting to some extend but not the use of different motifs. To me it is clear these pieces were never made as a parure. There's not a design drawing of the parure in existence, only of the tiara.
The tiara was an existing design by Oscar Masin, that we know and the central element apparently was a brooch from Anna Pawlowna. The brooch must have had some significance because why else was it incorporated? It must have been on someone's (King Willem III?) specific orders. If you look closely at the central element you will notice the setting is completely different from the rest of the tiara. Two existing pieces were combined.
Frankly, I do not understand why they incorporated the brooch in the first place. I think the central element with the odd (oval) sized smaller sapphires bordering the larger central rectangular sapphire does not fit at all and interupts the beautiful pattern of the tiara. The central (rectangular) stone from the brooch or a different larger stone could have made a nicer centerpiece but in stead they pasted the entire brooch onto the tiara. Very strange.
Subsequently they copied the motif of the central element to a pair of bracelets which again have a very different pattern to them: pairs of two sapphires repeated across the bracelets. Where does this come from?
As for the large brooch? Again, completely different piece all together. Clearly. The only match is the use of Sapphires.
It has never been established that all the sapphires in the described jewels came from Anna Pavlowna. The central element was apparently a brooch from her and the large oval sapphires from the brow brooch almost certainly came from her collection. But the sapphires from the tiara were described as coming from Kashmere and the diamonds from South Africa which makes it unlikely they belonged to Queen Anna Pavlowna.
Worn together as a parure, Yes. Made as a Parure? No!
It's quite a similar situation with the House Diamond Parure which has three completely different pieces from one jeweller but it's clear they were never designed as a truely matching parure as the motifs do not match.
And then look at the Mellerio Ruby Parure, Peacock Tail Parure or Emerald Parure, those three actually have pieces with matching motifs and settings.
--Previous Message-- : Queen Emma's saphire parure was a complete : order. Only the pendant with a central : saphire that has been worn on the necklace : was a seperate gift from Willem III to his : young bride. : The tiara, necklace, stomacher and bracelets : were ordered at the same time. The central : part of the tiara probably is an old brooch : of Queen Anna Pavlovna. The saphires for the : parure were the ones she left to her : youngest son Hendrik to be the main set of : his branch of the family. As neither of his : marriages produced any children the jewels : returned to the main branch of his brother : Willem III who ordered a new parure for his : second wife. Hendrik himself had a new : parure made a few years earlier when her : remarried the princess Marie of Prussia. : : --Previous Message-- : So I made a little cash-check, for an : overview. Not complete, I hope: : : Sets: : Denmark: Emerald Parure : Sweden Leuchtenberg : GB Turqouise Parure (Gloucester) : GB: Turqouise Parure (PMargret) : Germany Turqouise Parure of Sachsen-Coburg : Germany Württemberg Pink Topaz Parure : Germany Bavarian Ruby Parure (Spinell) of : Queen Therese now in the Residenz München : Italy/Savoy Pink Topaz Parure : Luxemburg Turquoise Parure : Netherlands Mellerio Ruby Parure : Netherlands Emerald Parure : Netherlands Peacock Ruby Parure : : For swedish Cameo Parure I´m not sure if it : was made as a set, neither for the : Netherland House Diamond Parure, which is : not not seen for decades, for the Norway : Emerald Parure and the Württemberg Ruby : Parure. : : For the status of the French Sapphire Parure : in the Louvre (Queen Amelie Sapphire Parure : and Queen Hortense Sapphire Parure) I need : the help of our french fellows. : : Netherlands Wedding gift Sapphire Parure : (current status: broken) : GB: Sapphire Parure now with Kent (current : status: broken. Tiara sold) : : Some often seen parures are 'composite' : parure: : Denmark Ruby parure : Greece Ruby Parure (composite, too, I think) : Greece Emerald Parure : GB Aquamarine : Netherlands Queen Emma Sapphire Parure : Spain Aquamarine Parure : : The british Kent Amethyst Parure is demi : parure. : : A remarkable surviving set is the Bagration : Spinell Parure of the Dukes of Westminster. : From time to time something pops up in a : auction, recently one or two sapphire : parures from Italy. I hope that something : sleeps in the Thurn und Taxis vaults. The : Prussian sapphire and ruby parures might be : gone, I guess. Did I mentioned the once so : beautiful Peridot Parure of Archduchess : Isabella, now torn apart? : : : --Previous Message-- : : --Previous Message-- : Are we talking about Parures which were : created as such or do we also count : composited parures. : : The Dutch Sapphire Parure was not created as : such but generally these jewels are : considered part of the parure: : : Tiara by Mellerio (design Oscar Masin) : Necklace (originally a dog collar) by : Mellerio - now converted to a tiara : Bracelets (pair) by Mellerio : Devant de Corsage (Bow Brooch) origin : unknown : : Some might consider Queen Emma's oval : diamond and sapphire pendant (one of the : first presents she received from King Willem : III) also part of the parure. : : * the small brooch worn by Queen Juliana on : her sash is not part of the parure. : : : : More here : : A good example of a complete parure is the : Dutch Ruby Parure created by Mellerio for : Queen Emma: : : Tiara : Necklace : Brooch : Devant de Corsage : Bracelet : Fan (added by Mellerio as a gift) : : : : More here : : --Previous Message-- : Sapphire Parure or Queen Emma's Grand Parure : in the netherlands : its a et of jewllery which has grown a : Parure : * Tiara The centre piece (brooch) is : detachable : * choker Necklace today its worn as a tiara : * 2 bracelets motifs can be worn as brooches : * devant de corsage : * pendent : * brooch : * bow brooch : : : : : --Previous Message-- : What parts are in the Parure and why is it : the : most complete, Give it a thought : : Does a tiara need to be in a Parure? : : : : : : : : : : : :
on April 12, 2012, 11:05 pm, in reply to "