Previous Message

Sorry, but I don’t agree on the topic of pearls. The documents found in the royal palace archives and published by Fernando Rayon in his book Las joyas de las Reinas de Espana, are related to : “a necklace of 41 pearls weighing 2105 grains” bought for 215 000 francs from Jean Vaillant who apparently was à french jeweller established in Saint Petersburg. The date of the invoice is 25th of October 1877. The auction of queen Isabelle’s jewels was one year later in Paris and the pearl necklace sold is described in the catalogue as : “a necklace of 37 pearls weighing 1570 grains” it was much smaller than the Russian one and sold AFTER il the Russian one was bought. I know there is a rumour insisting on the fact that some of queen Isabel’s jewels were “saved” at one point for the royal family. And there would have been a “private” auction of some of her jewels organised for her family after her death in Paris, but so far I have never seen any documents proving this.