I agree Baxter, I have never seen any evidence that The Queen Mother ever owned, or indeed was the one who sold Queen Mary's Amethyst Parure, it was only ever board speculation that circulated so often that it became accepted as fact.
The only facts we know about the parure are that it was owned by Queen Mary from early on in her marriage, right through to her widowhood.
The likeliest senario is that this parure was left to one of her nieces or nephews, or minor relations rather to the mainline of the royal family; and was subsequently sold by them.
The truth is, that the story of the Queen Mother selling a whole parure is entirely out of character as of all the many many jewels that she had in her collection, most of lesser provenance and signifcance could have been sold but never were. I cannot recall any such example of the Queen Mother having to sell of jewels, I believe the rumour that it was sold by her to pay "racing debts" is just tabloid gossip.
As such, I wouldn't put any truth to the story that Queen Mary's Amethyst Parure was sold by the Queen Mother, until solid factual evidence is produced.
--Previous Message-- : --Previous Message-- : Interesting history, but it's too bad the : Queen Mother sold Queen Mary's parure and : kept this necklace. It could be improved by : using the heart shaped amethyst as a brooch : and keeping the necklace simple. : : In a thread a couple of years ago, I : inquired if anyone had proof that it was the : Queen Mother who sold Queen Mary's amethyst : parure. : : Other than "cocktail party gossip" : not one poster was able to produce any : source that said the Queen Mother ever owned : the jewels. Neither Young, Menkes, Field, : Munn, nor any other reputable publication : has mentioned it. : : Also since none of the parure has ever been : seen on the QM, it seems this is one of : those rumors that gets repeated enough on : the boards until it becomes accepted as : fact. : : In the thread it was pointed out that the : auction catalog listed the provenance as : "By Tradition from the Collection of a : Royal Family." I'm sorry I don't : remember who, but a poster had a friend at : one of the major auction houses who stated : that this phrase is used for an item which : at one time belonged to royalty but is being : sold by someone who is not royal. : : Interestingly, the Cambridge sapphire : tiara/necklace was sold by the Kents around : the same time with the same auction house, : and its provenance simply stated that it was : from a private collection. : : It is certainly possible that Queen Mary : left the parure to someone outside the Royal : Family. She was very close to her niece, : the Duchess of Beaufort, who died a couple : of years prior to the parure's auction. : However, that is of course complete : speculation on my part. :