Re: Jewelry of queen Sophie of the Netherlands Archived Message
Posted by Johan on August 11, 2013, 9:12 am, in reply to "Re: Jewelry of queen Sophie of the Netherlands"
Sophie's jewels were split between her two surviving sons Wiwill and Alexander. Wiwill sold part of his inheritance, Alexander tried to buy most of them back. Alexander's inheritance went straight to his half-sister Wilhelmina. Her mother Emma had many of the pieces reset for the young queen. The Peacock Ruby Parure is made from diamonds and rubies that belonged to Sophie. The 5 buttons that have been set on the tiara frame to form princess Margriet's wedding-tiara and the one Beatrix wore for her investiture belonged to Sophie. As did the pearl and diamond leaf brooch with drops. The diamond ears of wheat also were part of Sophie's collection. Some of her pearls were sold, but the big pearl necklace probably stems from Sophie, as did the diamond rivière of her grandmother Empress Maria Feodorovna. The Cameo-tiara disappeared, after her death. It wasn't part of the list of jewels in Alexander's inheritance. The likeliest scenario is that Wiwill inherited and sold this piece. The star tiara of the famous Winterhalter-portrait is most likely a piece of the Würtemberg-collection and was only loaned to Sophie for the portrait. The diamond fringe tiara is a mystery. I've never come across the mentioning of a fringe tiara in the Dutch collection. It may simply be artistic freedom. --Previous Message-- : That fringe diadem is really impressive, : painter's imagination or not. I only know : Queen Sophie of the Netherlands from the : middle picture, looking quite sad. The other : two pictures are new to me. : : I believe many jewels were left to her : eldest son Prince Willem, the Prince of : Orange (1840-1879). This son broke : completely with his father and went into a : self-chosen exile in Paris where much of his : fortune evaporated. The unmarried Prince : died in pretty miserable conditions at the : age of 39. I am afraid a lot of Queen : Sophie's jewelry went lost via that way. : : Queen Sophie also left jewels to her younger : son, Prince Alexander (1851-1884). This : prince remained unmarried as well and died : at the age of 33. Most of his heritage went : to his halfsister Princess Wilhelmina, the : later Queen. : : : : :
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