Edit: The thing which interests me is that for this jewel not to have been sold when the 5th Marquess was in dire straits, I suspect it had to have been an heirloom. But who purchased it? The 4th Marquess? Or the 5th?
https://www.galeriemagazine.com/intriguing-objects-tefaf-maastricht/
Just to add to the confusion about the date this tiara was initially acquired by the Marquesses of Anglesey, the caption under the tiara gives a date of circa 1880. The text information says circa 1890.
In June 1880 the 4th Marquess married his third wife, Mary Livingston King, the widow of Hon. Henry Wodehouse. See http://www.thepeerage.com/p3636.htm#i36360
The marriage does not appear to have flourished as by April 1882 the 4th Marquess was advertising in the Paris papers that, unless he gave written consent, he would not pay bills for his wife.
After that I have found only a few references to this Marchioness of Anglesey. After her death in May 1931 the press reports mentioned that she was a great beauty. She was occasionally mentioned in the UK press and attended the 1902 Coronation, but I suspect she lived mainly on the Continent.
Was the tiara purchased for her? It is an intriguing possibility if the date of manufacture of circa 1880 is correct.
If the tiara was acquired by the 5th Marquess circa 1890, the question is why. He didn't marry until January 1898, and before his father's death he does not appear to have been so flamboyant with his own personal jewels.
In his will the 4th Marquess left his personal estate to a Countess Galve in Paris with the proviso that his son could buy any plate, personal items etc at value from the Countess. But if the 5th Marquess were to have purchased the tiara from the Countess it seems odd that it was not among the jewels which his trustees sold to satisfy his creditors.
The 5th Marquess (the famous Dancing Marquess) obviously had access to considerable money before he inherited the title, as the jewellery he gave to his wife as wedding gifts was extensive. He married his first cousin in January 1898. (His father died in October that year) Nothing in the list of the wedding gifts matches this tiara; nor was the wife of the 5th Marquess ever photographed wearing the tiara (as far as I know).
I wonder if any additional information will be given about this tiara? Every time I read something, more questions arise.
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