Thank you very much Jorge for this summary on the history of the Braganza pearls. As with almost all the Portuguese jewels, we still have a lot of questions to be answered...
Here are some more pics. Infanta Dona Maria Adelaide also had some pearls. I don't know if this is the same necklace, worn as a one row and as a two row. Provenance unknown...
A better pic of the big pearl and diamond earrings of Dona Isabel. This was taken at the Christening of The Prince of Beira and the Duchess is also wearing the four row necklace, a firm favourite of hers in the early years of her marriage.
And the other pearl earrings on the Duchess's collection on a bigger (and beautiful) pic
This pic I have posted before, but since we are talking about pearls here it goes again: taken at the Christening of Dom Afonso, the Duchess is wearing a pearl ring and a long one strand pearl necklace with emerald clasp as bracelet.
Dona Isabel has worn yet another imposing pearl necklace at the Christening of Infanta Maria Francisca: a big four row peals necklace with a bar Diamond clasp worn on the side. Sadly I have no bigger pic than the one bellow. The Duchess is wearing the same pearl and Diamond earrings worn at the christening of Prince Afonso.
So, pearls worn so far by Dona Isabel:
- the four row pearl necklace (choker) - the larger four row pearl necklace with bar Diamond clasp - the two row long pearl necklace - one row long pearl necklace with emerald clasp worn as bracelet - the big pearl and Diamond earrings - the stud pearl and Diamond earrings - the pearl ring
Jorge those last black and white pictures of Dona Isabel are also my favourites, she looks absolutely stunning. I just wish I could find them in bigger size.
--Previous Message-- : No royal vault is complete without pearls. The : Portuguese Royal House vault is no : exception. : : Talk about pearls is always complicated : mainly because most of the times the pearls : look all the same which make difficult to : distinguish the several pieces. However in : the Braganza family there is another : question: where did the pearls came from? : : Now a little of history (hope you like). : : In 1829 died in Lisbon Princess D.Maria : Benedita de Bragança, daughter of King : D.José I of Portugal and Queen Maria Ana : Victoria de Borbón. She was also the : youngest sister of Queen D. Maria I of : Portugal and married her nephew the Crown : Prince D.José de Bragança (prince of : Brazil). Lost? : : The Crown Prince died quite young (27 yo) : and the couple had no childs. Without : descendents the princess stipulated in her : will that most of her jewels should be sold : and the money delivered to the institution : she founded: the Asilo Militar de Runa. . : : At the time of her death the King of : Portugal was already D.Miguel I that, as you : may know, is the direct ancestor by male : line of the present Duke of Braganza. : : King D.Miguel I ordered the jewels to be : bought for the impoverished Casa do : Infantado with the exception of the : sapphires that were personally bought by his : sister Infanta D.Isabel Maria and almost all : the pearls that were personally bought by : King Miguel himself. : : The Portuguese civil war was, however, : started in 1828 and ended in 1834 with the : unfair defeat of King Miguel. With a very : patriotic soul D.Miguel I, before going to : exile, ordered his personal jewels to be : delivered to his brother, now King D.Pedro : IV, to help the reconstruction of the : country. : : The jewels remained in the vaults and : apparently were never sold. I do not know, : however, if all D.Miguel I jewels were : delivered including all the pearls. : : Another question is the inheritance that : D.Miguel I had right by the death of his : parents: King D.João VI and Queen Carlota : Joaquina. : This question was solved, apparently, only a : few decades ago with the portuguese state : buying the most important pieces from King : D.Miguel I descendents. But what jewels were : bought by the state? Did any of the jewels : went back to the Braganza family? : : The Duchess of Braganza, today, owns a few : sets of pearls. But from where did those : pearls came from? Wedding presents? Of whom? : Heirlooms? Of which family? : : As usual, too many questions and, I’m : afraid, too few answers. : : And now the pictures: : : The Infanta D.Filipa with a three strand : pearl necklace. D.Filipa, as you may : remember, left a brooch to her nephew : D.Duarte. : : : A four strand pearl necklace : : : A pearl chocker and some pearl earrings : : : : : : Double strand necklace : : : And finally some of my favorite pictures of : HRH D.Isabel, Duchess of Braganza : : : :
on March 30, 2014, 12:08 pm, in reply to "
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