I wonder at what point in time the Louvre decided to really amass a jewelry collection.
Beth, I hear your points. But I still rather the collection be united in France rather than dispersed. So many countries now aim to keep the historic artifacts from leaving the country. France just recently returned artifacts to Benin in Africa.
The emerald parure was a private property of Empress Marie-Louise, a gift from Emperor Napoleon for their wedding.
Marie-Louise left the parure to her Habsbourg siblings, Grand-duke Leopold II of Tuscany and the by descent (Leopold II – Karl-Salvator – Marie-Therese (x Karl-Stefan duke of Teschen) – Karl-Albrecht (x Alice Ankarcrona) – Karl-Stefan who sold the parure).
Alice Ankarcrona, wife of archduke Charles Albert, was the last one to wear it in it's full glory.
In 1953 the parure was sold and the tiara acquired by Van Cleef and Arpels who removed the emeralds, and had them replaced with turquoises, to create new jewels with stones of imperial origin !!
The tiara with the turquoises was sold to Marjorie Post who left it later to the Smithsonian Institution.
The necklace and the earrings were acquired some years ago by the Louvre Museum. The comb has been transformed but has disappeared.
See my pages for more pictures
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