QD - Mistake Found 'Queen Mary's Greek Tiara'Archived Message
Posted by Boffer on May 15, 2012, 11:55 pm
In combing through the various footnotes and references, as I try and compile and authoritative account of everything I know.
I came across a glaring error in regards to the tiara that I now call 'Queen Mary's Greek Tiara', it is the honeysuckle tiara now owned by the Duchess of Gloucester and features in Munn.
This tiara is described correctly by Garrards as:
“A Greek honeysuckle pattern Tiara, with rising centre”.
Queen Mary's Greek Tiara was made using diamonds from ‘Queen Mary’s County of Surrey Necklace/Tiara’ (other than the large diamonds which had been used to alter ‘Queen Mary’s Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara’); and also using the remaining “33 brilliants & 3 rose diamonds” from ‘Queen Mary’s Ladies of England Necklace/Tiara’ (that had not been used in the construction of ‘Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara’). As well as 426 brilliants provided for by Garrards; all at the cost of £420.
Which is all correct, Roberts reveals that it was made between 1913-1914; and was made originally to take the Cullinan V brooch in the central aperture, or a "large sapphire & diamond Brooch" or a "pink topaz & diamond Brooch". Which again is all correct; the only thing Roberts fails to mention is that the tiara was at some point lowered with a band of diamonds and 9 brilliants being removed from the top of the central aperture of the tiara.
However the mistake arises when Roberts also quotes the accounts from Garrards which billed Queen Mary and George V for £887 10s each for "A diamond Greek pattern Tiara, with 3 Marquise brilliant clusters between honeysuckle sprays & wreath border". Which is a description that does not match the finished tiara, and is a considerable price for just the remounting of stones. Thus I did some digging. And found ...
That this tiara, given as a wedding gift from George V and Queen Mary to Princess Alexandra of Fife matches perfectly the description of the expensive tiara bought in 1913.
Thus as a warning to all those reading Roberts, on page 164, footnote 3, only pay attention to the last reference taken from Garrard RL3, fol. 195, 21 April 1914; when reading up on the history of 'Queen Mary's Greek Tiara'.
Also of note is that Roberts states that this tiara was given to the Duchess of Gloucester on her marriage in 1935, without the Sapphire or the Cullinan V brooch (this is when the honeysuckle motif for the central aperture was made). The Pink Topaz & Diamond Brooch (which some have confused as a Kunzite stone) was bequeathed to the Duchess in 1953.
on May 15, 2012, 11:55 pm