Another possible royal look-alike - Kapurthala stomacherArchived Message
Posted by Arthur on October 11, 2015, 5:52 pm
On 3rd June 2015, the auction house Bonhams sold in Hong-Kong a beautiful pearl and diamond brooch, from the late 19th century, described as a "natural pearl, cultured pearl and diamond brooch, circa 1890, of stylised floral motif, centrally set with a button-shaped cultured pearl measuring 11.5mm, surrounded by old brilliant-cut diamonds, to openwork scrolls of similarly cut diamonds, suspending a detachable natural pearl drop, measuring 11.6 x 9.6mm, diamonds approximately 9.50 carats total, length 6.0cm": https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22885/lot/534/
Except the two pearls, the design of this brooch is strikingly similar to the design of the three pieces forming the so-called "Kapurthala Stomacher", an impressive diamond devant-de-corsage presented to Queen Mary as a wedding gift in 1893 by the Maharajah of Kapurthala:
According to Hugh Roberts, in The Queen's Diamonds (page 192), the Kapurthala Stomacher and another of Queen Mary's wedding gifts, the Town of Swansea Crescent Brooch, were dismantled by Queen Mary in 1920 to create another diamond stomacher, known as "Queen Mary's Stomacher", and (rarely) worn by Queen Elizabeth II:
Therefore, the pearl and diamond brooch sold last June by Bonhams is probably not a surviving part of the Kapurthala stomacher. But I think it was worth mentioning anyway.
on October 11, 2015, 5:52 pm
But I think it was worth mentioning anyway.