Re: The Duchess of York's sapphire "chain pendant" Archived Message
Posted by Arthur  on October 2, 2014, 5:00 am, in reply to "Re: The Duchess of York's sapphire "chain pendant""
Thank you, Franck!
You are probably right, that the Duchess of York / Queen-Mother had her wedding gift sapphire jewels dismantled and re-used in new jewels. The sapphire necklace presented to her by Queen Mary looked, IMHO, quite strange and unelegant, with its long frontal fringes, and the young Duchess of York probably felt the same (as she did also with her husband's gift, the Greek meander pearl and diamond necklace, whose design was also quite clumsy, and that she had reset into the new 'Papyrus tiara').
But we can not be 100% sure, of course, until reliable information is published... The example of Queen Alexandra's amethyst and pearl necklace should keep us cautious: this necklace was unseen during almost 90 years, but finally popped up one day (slightly transformed but globally intact) around Camilla's neck... It could also be the same, one day, with the Duchess of York's sapphires...
Generally, it is a pity that all these long sautoirs are never seen anymore: the two pearl sautoirs presented in 1923 to the Duchess of York by her mother and the citizens of London, the Duchess of York's sapphire chain with pendant, Queen Mary's diamond sautoir... Same with the long ropes of pearls that can be seen on certain portraits of Queen Mary or of the (young) Duchess of York/Queen Elizabeth. Of course, these necklaces corresponded to a jewel fashion typical of the 1920s or early 1930s, but it would be nice anyway to see these jewels again - may be not for a State banquet or an evening event, as their length might make them uncomfortable to wear (did not Queen Elizabeth II's complain one day that Queen Mary's diamond chain with pendant made with the Cullinan cleavings "gets in the soup"?), but why not for an official portrait?
PS: Franck, I confirm I have not received any e-mail from you (either on the board's private messagery, or in my personal e-mail box). You can find my e-mail address here next to my name on top of this message.
--Previous Message--
: Dear Arthur,
:
: Please note that the sapphire and diamond
: sautoir is mentionned by 202 in the QD
: (Queen Mary's sautoir).
:
: Queen Elizabeth (when Duchess of York) used
: Sintzenich to make a new sapphire and
: diamond chain in 1929.
:
: I am also convinced that this sautoir was
: made from the sapphire and diamond necklace
: given by Queen Mary.
:
: On a other part, I have tried to send you a
: private email without any success.
:
: Best regards,
:
: Franck
:
: --Previous Message--
: Thank you, Franck, for the list of the
: Queen-Mother's wedding gifts. There are
: several jewels I had not heard of before.
: And thank you, Baxter, for the (to me
: unknown) pictures of the sapphire chain
: pendant.
:
: Can anyone remind me on which page(s) of
: Hugh Roberts' The Queen's Diamonds this
: sapphire chain pendant is mentioned? I have
: re-read the pages dedicated to the Queen
: Mother's jewels, and I can not find the
: reference. Thanks in advance!
:
: --Previous Message--
:
: Franck, you asked about this before but I
: have just recently found a slightly clearer
: photo of the Duchess of York likely wearing
: the sapphire necklace described by Roberts:
:
: Queen Elizabeth (when Duchess of York) used
: Sintzenich to make a new sapphire and
: diamond chain pendant in 1929.
:
:
:
:
: I think it was most likely made from the
: wedding gift presented by Queen Mary.
:
:
:
: Has anyone ever seen the bracelet? Perhaps
: it was used also. The large brooch was of
: course a favorite, worn throughout the Queen
: Mother's life, and the small sapphire brooch
: went to Princess Margaret.
:
:
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