Posted by Jos on October 21, 2013, 4:34 am, in reply to "Reply/Vever"
Well, Eric, I am sure we are all eager to learn from you whether your archival research will lead to interesting discoveries. It would be enlightening to know which name was erased on the 1881 design drawing and replaced by the one of Vita Israëls. Nowadays there are digital techniques to discover that but I am sure they are expensive. From Brus' book I understand there are two design drawings, a coloured one and a black and white one. The latter has a numbering of the stones and apparently a list of the weight of the different stones. I wonder what else is written on this paper (upper left corner).
By the way, we have to be aware that if archival evidence is lacking it does not falsify a fact one had wished to prove. Until we have positive evidence who created the sapphire tiara, necklace and bracelets all options are open. The problem is that there is more than one mystery to solve. Not only the "tempering" with the text on the design drawing, but also the fact we do not know to whom Willem III paid the costs of 100.000 florins. Apparently, there is no proper invoice left (of found).
--Previous Message-- : Thank you for all your remarks; I'll go : through them and see where the text needs : alteration. For example, this is the first : time I read that the image from the 1867 : design is from Vever's Bijouterie Francaise : (must have but so bloody expensive book!) : This was published in 1908. So the public : availability of the design should be altered : in the text. : : I can easily reply the 'why do you insist on : it not being Massin' with 'why do you insist : it is Massin?' : : I instist on it not being Massin for : methodological reasons: we have an original : drawing of the 1881 design, and that drawing : has a clear name on it. And that name is not : Massin. : : And although the 1881 design contains : certain elements of the 1867 design, these : are still 2 different designs. The only : design element that is exactly the same are : the elongated spikey fleur de lys elements. : : I just received a reply on my email to the : ABN Amro collection (which has the design : drawing); the material they have are from : Jacques Vos, who in 1919 merged with Van : Kempen en Begeer. I'll need to plan a visit : to the ABN Amro collection in Almere soon to : have a look at them. : : Also, I know someone else found a name of a : Dutch jeweller in relation to this tiara, : but it's not my place to disclose it. By the : end of November we will know more about it. : : To be continued : :