History of Famous Jewels and Collections: Re: Jewels of Georgina, Countess of Dudley after the 1902 sale

Despite the grandiosity of the Edwardian period by this time many of the aristocratic families were starting feel the financial pinch. I would suspect that reasons for the sale of the jewellery were multiple and in part able to take place because the collection was large enough to allow the Dudley's to retain their position still suitably dressed.

Within 18 years of the jewellery sale the Dudley's had sold Witley Court due to the fact their financial circumstances could no longer allow them to keep it up.

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Beth! is it possible the Earl's massive jewel collection was reduced, 'due to say insurance/ inheritance taxes per se. Don't forget in order for one to have such a grand jewel collection and maintain it consistently maybe a big headache when HMC&R comes a calling.

Even the Queen includes smartly all of her private jewels with the state owned jewels which is a clever move because she would not have to insure or pay high taxes/ security cost to maintain such expensive items which are not bringing in vast incomes. So this I guess is why you see more and more very rich families having one or two sets of jewels as opposed to say having several sets because they may just be too expensive to maintain.

Regards,

Dave.

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I made the point below that I didn't think the 1902 sale of some of the Dudley jewels was prompted by financial hardship.

Georgina, Countess of Dudley was one of the great beauties of her age and, because the first Earl, her husband was a noted collector and connoisseur, her jewels were noted with admiration by the press.

After the sale of some of her jewels in 1902, Georgina, Countess of Dudley continued to appear at grand Court events suitably arrayed in grand jewels. Obviously not all of her jewels were sold!

Below is one report from March 1903.

So far I haven't found images of her wearing grand jewels in this period, but she attended Court and society functions frequently.

Not long after the sale of her jewels in 1902, Tatler noted her work in assisting soldiers injured in the Boer War.