On the Royal News and Views message board, a user posted a link to a video called The Finest Diamond Tiaras (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQTzkf_aYSE). It is a great visual feast, even if you don't agree with the ranking.
Not to give the rankings away, but the video shows Queen Alexandra's Kokoshnik Tiara. This is my personal favorite out of the British collection. However, in the video I noticed something about it I had never noticed before. There is what appears to be a "support" bar about 2/3 of the way up on the backside that runs across many of the bars (if not all of them). I had never noticed this before and in fact hauled out Roberts to verify that what was being shown on the video was indeed the actual Kokoshnik tiara and not a duplicate.
On page 102 of Robert, you can barely see the bar. I had never noticed it as it almost blends in with the gray background the tiara was photographed on. However, on page 106, there is a close up detail of the tiara and you can clearly see it. A footnote on page 101, says that a new self adjusting frame was supplied in 1895. I am wondering if this bar (for a lack of a better jewelry term) is part of that self adjusting frame.
Would any of our more knowledgeable posters happen to know what is the purpose of the bar? You can see from other pictures of the tiara that sometimes the bars are a little more open than in other pictures. I am wondering of perhaps each diamond bar "snaps" onto back bar for support? Or perhaps it is there strictly for support? I'm curious.
Roberts also says that there were 77 graduated bars at one time, but 16 of the smallest have been removed. I don't think that removal would have had much impact on the shape since they were the smallest.
I'd appreciate any insight other posters might have. Thank you!!
on March 29, 2016, 9:38 am