Many thanks for that interesting description Ashdean. I would have liked to have seen some photos from the exhibition, but I know the exhibitors often will not allow photography. Thank you for sharing your memories. --Previous Message-- : A number of years ago in Manchester UK the : Whitworth Art Gallery was the venue for a : very large number of treasures loaned by : North country aristocrats. The proceeds of : which went to support a famous cancer : hospital in the city... : Various Dukes and lesser aristocrats lent : paintings furniture sculpture and gems.. : The Duke of Westminster lent a number of : tiaras and necklaces as did several others : not all illustrated while some were just : labelled PRIVATE COLLECTION. Amongst those : was some items of jewelery said to have : belonged to Mrs Fitzherbert (there is a : family of landed gentry with an estate in N : Lancashire called Fitzherbert -Brockholes).I : especially remember a pearl collar with a : centre piece of a huge sapphire set in a : diamond sunray design and with a sapphire : drop.There was a delicate diamond tiara... a : more delicate version of the girls of great : Britain tiara belonging to HM... it : certainly wasn't the one pictured : : --Previous Message-- : Thank you Brock for the picture, most : interesting piece and questions. This tiara : is new to me, so unfortunately I'm not much : of a help... : I notest however the chains linking the : diamond elements, making me think that this : piece is/or at some point in time was most : likely a necklace, then was set on a frame : (don't know if permanentely). : The tiara looks the same as the one worn by : the lady in the photo, I can clearly see the : chains between the elements. : Is there any portrait or sketch of Maria : Fitzherbert (or other lady since then apart : from the one in the pic) wearing this piece : as tiara or necklace perhaps? Are there any : sources as to this piece being a gift from : George IV? : Thanks. : : : : --Previous Message-- : The tiara in the first image below is : commonly : attributed to have belonged to Maria : Fitzherbert. While looking for something : completely different, I came across the : second photo dated 2006 of the tiara (or one : of a very similar design) captioned : "Sir John and Samantha Leslie at the : Castle Leslie Ball". : : Are there any further details on the history : of this tiara such as when it was sold, its : subsequent ownership, and whether or not it : is currently owned by the Leslie family? : : : : : : : : :
on November 18, 2014, 3:45 am, in reply to "