Teck cresent and roses tiara on various framesArchived Message
Posted by Beth on November 5, 2016, 11:58 pm
The Duchess of Teck's tiara is another jewel which can create different looks when mounted on different frames.
Roberts (p 122) outlines the various stages of the development of this tiara as items left to the Duchess of Teck by her aunt, the Duchess of Gloucester, were combined. By 1882 the tiara, as often seen in photos of the Duchess, was complete.
Roberts states that the base of a double row of diamonds was detachable as were all the individual elements which could be worn as dress ornaments.
I have no idea when the photo below was taken but in this image the tiara is without the diamond base and encircles the Duchess' hair.
Other photos show the tiara mounted on a coronet frame so that it sits on the crown of the head.
Roberts says that a new frame was made for the tiara in 1901 and another in 1937 for Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Commentators have often stated that QEQM did not wear the tiara, apart from in Canada in 1939, because she did not use hair pieces to support tiaras and that the circumference of the tiara was too wide for her.
Yet, the new, wider frame was made for her. Roberts cites a Garrard ledger for March 1937.
I believe that it is the position in which HM wore the tiara in 1939 which has resulted in the impression that the circumference was too large for her.
In some cases the Queen seems to have favoured positioning her tiaras at the edge of her forehead. During the State Visit to France HM wore the Oriental circle tiara in much the same way.
It was only later that HM started to wear that tiara placed further back on her head.
When HM was photographed wearing the Teck tiara sometime after WWII it was also placed slightly further back on head and no longer gave the appearance of being too wide for her head.
Had QEQM wished the tiara could have been mounted on a tighter frame in 1937. For whatever reason she choose the wider frame.
on November 5, 2016, 11:58 pm
