Posted by Baxter on July 23, 2014, 9:02 am, in reply to "Re: Indian pearls"
I think the Covent Garden pearls could be three fourths of the Indian pearls. It seems to me that the ruby clasp is only attached to the top two rows and the bottom row is separate. However, all three rows appear to be very similar in size, shape, and coloring.
Arthur, it's interesting that you estimate HM to be wearing 165 pearls, since 55 + 55 + 56 = 166. So perhaps the Indian pearls remain in the four strands Meylan and Menkes reference Twining describing, but not all connected to one clasp.