Dona Isabel of Braganza has worn yet another set with pearls in her early years as Duchess. The set comprises a choker, a bracelet and a pair of earrings made with yellow gold, cabochon amethysts and small pearls. The earrings are gold and amethyst only. Like I posted in one of the threads bellow (see http://members2.boardhost.com/royal-jewels/msg/1394655072.html), this is another set that Dona Isabel has shared with her mother, Dona Raquel de Herédia.
The Duchess of Braganza wearing the pearl, gold and amethyst set. This pic was taken during a meeting with the then first lady of Portugal, Maria José Ritta, in late 1996 (source: Caras magazine).
Dona Raquel de Herédia wearing the set, pictured with her grandson The Prince of Beira shortly after his birth on March 1996 (source: OQ magazine).
There was at least one other time when Dona Isabel wore this jewelry set. The Duchess was wearing this same jewels when I had the pleasure of exchanging a few words with her in late summer 1996. (To the admirers of Dona Isabel on these boards, I can assure you she is even more beautiful in person ).
And again the question is raised: was this set a loan from her mother or is it owned by Dona Isabel? I don't know the answer, but I would like to see it worn again.
--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 31, 2014, 6:22 am, in reply to "
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