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Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara Posted by Beth on September 2, 2018, 6:03 pm When Princess Alice of Albany married the then Prince Alexander of Teck in 1904 the press reported that Edward VII and Queen Alexandra gave her a pearl and diamond tiara of "artistic" design. Unfortunately, for reasons not then disclosed, there was no public display of the gifts. Consequently the press could not publish photos or even sketches -- which is frustrating to modern jewellery lovers trying to identify Princess Alice's jewels. In the early years of her marriage most of the press relied on studio portraits of Princess Alice. The quality of the photos varied. One of the better copies is below. It is from a 1908 paper where it looks as if the Princess is wearing a small pearl and diamond hair comb. Another photo from a slightly different angle. However, in 1912 a photo appeared showing a side view of the Princess from the same photo session. This allows us to see that she was wearing a diamond and pearl tiara. Detail I think that this tiara is the same as the one worn in a portrait which the National Gallery UK dates to 1918. The difference is that in 1918 Princess Alice wore the tiara low on her forehead and had mounted the jewel on a stiffened but transparent fabric to give a kokoshnik effect. I suspect, but cannot prove conclusively, that this is the tiara given to Princess Alice by Edward and Alexandra.

Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara Posted by MarcA on September 2, 2018, 7:02 pm, in reply to "Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara" Thank you for this thread I always find the ones covering any wedding presents extra fascinating. I'd say that this is the Edward & Alexandra tiara without any proof though. I somehow doubt there wasn't some consultation in the major pieces. Previous Message When Princess Alice of Albany married the then Prince Alexander of Teck in 1904 the press reported that Edward VII and Queen Alexandra gave her a pearl and diamond tiara of "artistic" design. Unfortunately, for reasons not then disclosed, there was no public display of the gifts. Consequently the press could not publish photos or even sketches -- which is frustrating to modern jewellery lovers trying to identify Princess Alice's jewels. In the early years of her marriage most of the press relied on studio portraits of Princess Alice. The quality of the photos varied. One of the better copies is below. It is from a 1908 paper where it looks as if the Princess is wearing a small pearl and diamond hair comb. Another photo from a slightly different angle. However, in 1912 a photo appeared showing a side view of the Princess from the same photo session. This allows us to see that she was wearing a diamond and pearl tiara. Detail I think that this tiara is the same as the one worn in a portrait which the National Gallery UK dates to 1918. The difference is that in 1918 Princess Alice wore the tiara low on her forehead and had mounted the jewel on a stiffened but transparent fabric to give a kokoshnik effect. I suspect, but cannot prove conclusively, that this is the tiara given to Princess Alice by Edward and Alexandra.

Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara Posted by 992234177 on September 2, 2018, 7:36 pm, in reply to "Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara" To me there is a hint of the Swedish Connaught Ruby Tiara and the Danish Princess Thyra Sapphire Tiara

Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara/ Coulld it be this one? Posted by Dave on September 3, 2018, 12:28 am, in reply to "Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara" I found this while looking around, could this be the lost tiara Beth? https://www.pinterest.com/pin/360076932686976059/ Regards, Dave. Previous Message When Princess Alice of Albany married the then Prince Alexander of Teck in 1904 the press reported that Edward VII and Queen Alexandra gave her a pearl and diamond tiara of "artistic" design. Unfortunately, for reasons not then disclosed, there was no public display of the gifts. Consequently the press could not publish photos or even sketches -- which is frustrating to modern jewellery lovers trying to identify Princess Alice's jewels. In the early years of her marriage most of the press relied on studio portraits of Princess Alice. The quality of the photos varied. One of the better copies is below. It is from a 1908 paper where it looks as if the Princess is wearing a small pearl and diamond hair comb. Another photo from a slightly different angle. However, in 1912 a photo appeared showing a side view of the Princess from the same photo session. This allows us to see that she was wearing a diamond and pearl tiara. Detail I think that this tiara is the same as the one worn in a portrait which the National Gallery UK dates to 1918. The difference is that in 1918 Princess Alice wore the tiara low on her forehead and had mounted the jewel on a stiffened but transparent fabric to give a kokoshnik effect. I suspect, but cannot prove conclusively, that this is the tiara given to Princess Alice by Edward and Alexandra.

Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara/ Coulld it be this one? Posted by LauraM on September 3, 2018, 6:32 am, in reply to "Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara/ Coulld it be this one?" If the caption is correct, it can’t be. ANTIQUE The “lost tiara” that Princess Alice wore to King Edward VII’s wedding. This tiara is made by Köchert, called the “Byzantine” diadem, with its harmonious juxtapositions of diamonds and pearls, was judged impeccable and won for Köchert the first prize for jewellery at the World Exhibition

Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara/ Coulld it be this one? Posted by Beth on September 3, 2018, 9:08 am, in reply to "Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara/ Coulld it be this one?" I agree with LauraM. I suspect that the tiara given by Edward VII and Queen Alexandra to Princess Alice of Athlone for her wedding in 1904 would have been a newly made/acquired tiara. The reference to a "Princess Alice" is intriguing. Who is she? It is not Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse (Queen Victoria's daughter) as, for the wedding of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1863, she wore the strawberry leaf tiara which Queen Victoria had given to her as a wedding gift. [According to information on the British Museum site and the Royal Collection site, the image below shows Alice of Hesse at the 1863 wedding] Another view of the strawberry leaf tiara. Although this tiara does not have any relationship to Alice of Albany (Countess of Athlone) I am very glad that Dave has drawn our attention to it, as I have never seen it previously. It would be interesting if we could track down the original owner, but I suspect that Pinterest sites won't be much use -- as they all repeat the same information!

Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara/ Coulld it be this one? Posted by Dave on September 3, 2018, 9:57 am, in reply to "Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara/ Coulld it be this one?" Ahhh Beth, thanks for your input but doesn't i.e. the elements look similar to the Gloucester Honeysuckle tiara. Please compare below. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HwxOPY0ykMY/T_t4XHE_8vI/AAAAAAAAJAI/4EcYtJc12YU/s1600/_Honeysucke.jpg Dave. Previous Message I agree with LauraM. I suspect that the tiara given by Edward VII and Queen Alexandra to Princess Alice of Athlone for her wedding in 1904 would have been a newly made/acquired tiara. The reference to a "Princess Alice" is intriguing. Who is she? It is not Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse (Queen Victoria's daughter) as, for the wedding of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1863, she wore the strawberry leaf tiara which Queen Victoria had given to her as a wedding gift. [According to information on the British Museum site and the Royal Collection site, the image below shows Alice of Hesse at the 1863 wedding] Another view of the strawberry leaf tiara. Although this tiara does not have any relationship to Alice of Albany (Countess of Athlone) I am very glad that Dave has drawn our attention to it, as I have never seen it previously. It would be interesting if we could track down the original owner, but I suspect that Pinterest sites won't be much use -- as they all repeat the same information!

Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara/ Coulld it be this one? Posted by Beth on September 3, 2018, 1:04 pm, in reply to "Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara/ Coulld it be this one?" Yes, the palmette (some call it honeysuckle) element was used frequently in all the decorative arts. The Gloucester tiara. One of the Liechtenstein tiaras The Devonshire tiara Previous Message Ahhh Beth, thanks for your input but doesn't i.e. the elements look similar to the Gloucester Honeysuckle tiara. Please compare below. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HwxOPY0ykMY/T_t4XHE_8vI/AAAAAAAAJAI/4EcYtJc12YU/s1600/_Honeysucke.jpg

Re: Princess Alice of Hesse. Where misundertanding might have started Posted by Beth on September 3, 2018, 3:10 pm, in reply to "Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara/ Coulld it be this one?" I think that the misunderstanding about this tiara originated when someone did a pinterest link to a site on the Royal Forums but did not read all the posts. See http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f132/unidentified-mystery-and-lost-royal-jewels-5725.html After that all the Pinterest sites seem to have followed the original mistake. The post by Mia says that the tiara was dismantled, but does not give any source. It may be correct. I am sure that the answer will be in this book. I cannot find it in any library I have access to and from what I can see it is not in any public or university library in Australia. A copy is for sale https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/more-furniture-collectibles/collectibles-curiosities/books/kochert-imperial-jewellers-vienna-jewellery-designs-1810-1940-book/id-f_2648532/ but the asking price means I will not be making an offer! Does any one have access to it at a library?

Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara Posted by Thomas on September 3, 2018, 9:18 pm, in reply to "Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara" What a keen eye you have Beth! Like MarcA and 992234177, I am enclined to think this is the mystery tiara from Edward and Alexandra. It does have an Edwardian vibe to it, as the fine and intricate scrolls and the height of the tiara would indicate. Ursula of Royal Magazin has another shot from the 1918 sitting that is slightly sharper: Royal Magazin I too doubt the tiara may have been borrowed. Surely the Princess' collection was vast enough to satisfy her needs. Furthermore, I have found this small portrait, apparently from another sitting: It is definitely the same tiara, looking more substantial in the strong contrast of the picture. This time a diamond base was affixed to the jewel. The lovely pearl and diamond brooch looks like it was made to complement the tiara, do we know if it was also a wedding gift? Lafayette Archive have a portrait, from 1920, with splendid close-ups of the brooch: Lafayette Unlike the tiara, it seems the brooch was worn by the Princess later in life, for instance at the Wedding of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, in 1973: (Norman Parkinson/National Portrait Gallery) Perhaps she wasn't fond of the tiara and it was dismantled or sold at some point, or, more unlikely, it has remained hidden for the past century or so...

Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara Posted by Beth on September 4, 2018, 7:06 am, in reply to "Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara" Thank you Thomas. What a great photo you have found of the tiara! For the first time we can see the details clearly. I had used a small newspaper image of Princess Alice from the same photograph sitting in a post I did on the RJWMB on how ladies secured tiaras at various times, but the details are not as clear as in Thomas' photo. I suspect that the diamond base on the tiara was the diamond riviere which Princess Alice wore on various occasions throughout her life. It is most likely to have been the riviere given to her by her husband as a wedding gift. Princess Alice wearing the diamond riviere. As a head jewel in 1920 As a choker As a necklace It is almost impossible to know what jewels were given to Princess Alice when she married in 1904. I have never found any images or even a list of gifts. The press did note that the groom gave her the ears of wheat tiara and a diamond riviere which belonged to the Duchess of Teck and the tiara from Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The people of Windsor gave her a half hoop diamond bangle. The large pearl and diamond brooch seems to have been a favourite throughout the years. Perhaps it too was a gift for her wedding.

Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara Posted by Thomas on September 4, 2018, 8:08 pm, in reply to "Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara" The sideview you shared shows the real size of the tiara. It is quite an important jewel. You are probably right about the rivière, as for other wedding gifts, Ursula has a comprehensive list which may be of interest. Royal Magazin Previous Message Thank you Thomas. What a great photo you have found of the tiara! For the first time we can see the details clearly. I had used a small newspaper image of Princess Alice from the same photograph sitting in a post I did on the RJWMB on how ladies secured tiaras at various times, but the details are not as clear as in Thomas' photo. I suspect that the diamond base on the tiara was the diamond riviere which Princess Alice wore on various occasions throughout her life. It is most likely to have been the riviere given to her by her husband as a wedding gift. Princess Alice wearing the diamond riviere. As a head jewel in 1920 As a choker As a necklace It is almost impossible to know what jewels were given to Princess Alice when she married in 1904. I have never found any images or even a list of gifts. The press did note that the groom gave her the ears of wheat tiara and a diamond riviere which belonged to the Duchess of Teck and the tiara from Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The people of Windsor gave her a half hoop diamond bangle. The large pearl and diamond brooch seems to have been a favourite throughout the years. Perhaps it too was a gift for her wedding.

Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara Posted by Beth on September 5, 2018, 4:04 pm, in reply to "Re: Princess Alice Countess of Athlone. Pearl and diamond tiara" Thank you Thomas. I appreciate your finding this item for us. I would really like to know what gifts Princess Alice received from her European relations. I would assume that the gifts from Queen Emma, the Queen of Wurttenberg and the Waldeck and Pyrmont family would have been substantial.

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