This was included in the publication on the historic cameo jewels in the Royal Collection, Ancient and Modern Gems and Jewels in The Collection of Her Majesty The Queen. I think it was purchased by Queen Mary more for its artistic and historic purposes, to add to the collection as a trinket to display in case along with other various cameos and intaglios.
As the old Microsite for this publication, which is still available online states:
"Interchangeable sets of jewellery - parures - became fashionable in the nineteenth century. The ladies attending Princess Charlotte, on her marriage in 1816, wore matching sets of amethysts, chrysolites and topazes given by the Prince Regent. Empress Joséphine and her court were the first to embrace the fashion of Greek dress and cameo jewellery. Ancient, Renaissance and modern Roman copies of engraved gems were set in magnificent parures. By the 1850s the jewellers Castellani and Giuliano from Rome had revived the interest in Archaeological styles in jewellery and gem cutting. Earlier, in England Queen Charlotte is also known to have had a collection of cameo-set jewellery, including a parure with a bandeau of five large and eight small cameos."
Yet, by the time this was acquired in 1932 this jewellery had fallen well out of fashion and was collected for its historic purposes rather than to be worn. Thus I doubt Queen Mary every intended to wear this piece, nor the rest of the parure.
--Previous Message-- : Did anyone find Ruby parure (granted all the : pieces are on different pages) that Queen : Mary acquired? I wonder why we never saw her : in it...for that time it would look more : like day wear jewelry...but I think its : lovely... : : here is the necklace...there is also, : earrings, 2 brooches and a bracelet. : : : --Previous Message-- : : I eventually found the start of the jewels : and Insignia category - but where do I go : from here to find my favourites - without : spending the rest of the day stumbling : around in the dark? : I'm not happy !! : Starting on the second coffee right now. : : : : http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/decorative-arts/jewels-and-insignia : : :
on March 24, 2012, 10:55 pm, in reply to "