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Clementine Churchill. One mystery solved by Vincent Meylan Posted by Beth on September 20, 2018, 12:52 pm On his Instagram site Vincent Meylan has solved a query for me regarding the necklace worn by Clementine Churchill in Stockholm when she accepted the Nobel Prize for literature for Winston Churchill. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn2ACICBI4J/?taken-by=vincentmeylan Clementine Churchill wearing the necklace in 1953. As Vincent Meylan notes, the necklace, originally owned by the Duchess d'Aumale, was then owned by the Marchioness of Cholmondeley who lent it to Clementine Churchill.

Re: Clementine Churchill. One mystery solved by Vincent Meylan Posted by MarcA on September 20, 2018, 2:12 pm, in reply to "Clementine Churchill. One mystery solved by Vincent Meylan" I wonder if the Cholmondeleys still own it. They are I believe still one of the wealthier aristocratic families in England. Their is an interesting story as an aside to the Cholmondeleys. Their estate was the burial place of Catherine Parr, the last wife of Henry VIII, her grace was opened in the 18th century and she was found to be in remarkable condition. I always wondered if she was buried with any jewellery still on her or if they ever happened around that time? The grave apparently got opened a few times after that and I believe there was a blasting reprimand from Queen Victoria and she was left to rest in peace after that. Previous Message On his Instagram site Vincent Meylan has solved a query for me regarding the necklace worn by Clementine Churchill in Stockholm when she accepted the Nobel Prize for literature for Winston Churchill. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn2ACICBI4J/?taken-by=vincentmeylan Clementine Churchill wearing the necklace in 1953. As Vincent Meylan notes, the necklace, originally owned by the Duchess d'Aumale, was then owned by the Marchioness of Cholmondeley who lent it to Clementine Churchill.

Re: Clementine Churchill. One mystery solved by Vincent Meylan Posted by Beth on September 21, 2018, 2:44 pm, in reply to "Re: Clementine Churchill. One mystery solved by Vincent Meylan" The Cholmondeleys sold the necklace in 1990 (see Maridje's information in the next post) and, according to Vincent Meylan, it is now part of the Al Thani collection, the Sheik having purchased it at auction in 2015.

Re: Clementine Churchill. Maridje's information and photos Posted by Beth on September 21, 2018, 3:19 pm, in reply to "Re: Clementine Churchill. One mystery solved by Vincent Meylan" Maridje sent in the following information and photos. The necklace was given to Princess Helene of Orleans for her wedding on 25 June 1895 by her godfather, the Duc d'Aumale. Princess Helene (Elena, Duchess of Aosta) wearing the necklace. Apologies to Maridje I cannot seem to copy the information sheet you sent me from the Christie's site, so instead I am giving the link to the site. The information on the Christie's site from the auction on 10 November 2015. Please expand the Lot Essay section to read the history of this necklace. https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/jewelry/an-historic-early-19th-century-emerald-and-5945861-details.aspx Another Christie's site https://www.christies.com/features/Highlight-of-2015-jewel-6929-1.aspx It was the Marchioness who lent the necklace to Clementine Churchill.

Re: Clementine Churchill. Maridje's information and photos Posted by MarcA on September 22, 2018, 11:28 am, in reply to "Re: Clementine Churchill. Maridje's information and photos" So the tiara Clementine Churchill is wearing must be Emerald. I wonder if that is also the emerald and diamond tiara mentioned as belonging to Marchioness of Cholodmney? Previous Message Maridje sent in the following information and photos. The necklace was given to Princess Helene of Orleans for her wedding on 25 June 1895 by her godfather, the Duc d'Aumale. Princess Helene (Elena, Duchess of Aosta) wearing the necklace. Apologies to Maridje I cannot seem to copy the information sheet you sent me from the Christie's site, so instead I am giving the link to the site. The information on the Christie's site from the auction on 10 November 2015. Please expand the Lot Essay section to read the history of this necklace. https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/jewelry/an-historic-early-19th-century-emerald-and-5945861-details.aspx Another Christie's site https://www.christies.com/features/Highlight-of-2015-jewel-6929-1.aspx It was the Marchioness who lent the necklace to Clementine Churchill.

Re: Clementine Churchill. Maridje's photo shows tiara belonged to Marchioness.. Posted by Beth on September 22, 2018, 12:09 pm, in reply to "Re: Clementine Churchill. Maridje's information and photos" Yes, the tiara did belong to the Marchioness of Cholmondeley. Thanks to some images Ianusk posted on RJWMB in 2014 http://members2.boardhost.com/royal-jewels/msg/archive/1390135127.html we have a photo of Sybil Cholmondeley's tiara which was auctioned by Christie's in London in 1990. Thanks to a photo which Maridje sent in, we can see that the tiara worn by Clementine Churchill is the same. Another image from the video. The video Previous Message So the tiara Clementine Churchill is wearing must be Emerald. I wonder if that is also the emerald and diamond tiara mentioned as belonging to Marchioness of Cholodmney?

When did Sybil Cholmondeley acquire the jewels and did they both belong to the Duchess of Aosta?Edit Posted by Beth on September 22, 2018, 1:01 pm, in reply to "Re: Clementine Churchill. Maridje's photo shows tiara belonged to Marchioness.." No one seems to have yet identified precisely when the Marchioness of Cholmondeley acquired the tiara and necklace. There appears to be consensus that the necklace originally belonged to the Duchess d'Aumale, that it was given by the then widowed Duc to Princess Helene for her wedding in June 1895, and that at some stage it was acquired by the Marchioness. In the reports of the wedding gifts given to Princess Helene, the Duc d'Aumale is said to have given her a necklace and tiara of diamonds and emeralds but, as I have not found photos or sketches of the Duc's gift, it is impossible to say if this tiara was part of his gift. I think it is highly likely to have been. EDIT: I was incorrect. According to the writer of the Lot Essay on the Christie's site https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/jewelry/an-historic-early-19th-century-emerald-and-5945861-details.aspx both the necklace and the tiara were the gifts of the Duc d'Aumale. So far I have not found a photo showing the Marchioness of Cholmondeley wearing the tiara. (She seems to have been intensely private where her jewels were concerned) Nor have I yet found references to her wearing emeralds. There is, however, a photo of the Marchioness wearing the necklace. So, when might the jewels have been acquired by the Marchioness? All that the writer of the "Lot Essay" on the Christie's site https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/jewelry/an-historic-early-19th-century-emerald-and-5945861-details.aspx said was that the necklace changed hands following WWI and sometime in the 20th century. Nevertheless, it is possible to say that the Marchioness owned the necklace by, at the latest, November 1930 based on the photo above. The photo above was taken at the same sitting as the one below, which was published in the Sketch 26 November 1930. Only the necklaces are different. I suspect that, without access to material in either the Chomondeley or Aosta archives, it will be impossible to date the sale precisely. But further photographic evidence may yet narrow the date range. 2nd Edit: I changed "July 1895" above to "June 1895". I am learning that I need to proof read my posts thoroughly before I hit the post button.

Re: When did Sybil Cholmondeley acquire the jewels and did they both belong to the Duchess of Aosta?Edit Posted by Thomas on September 23, 2018, 10:34 pm, in reply to "When did Sybil Cholmondeley acquire the jewels and did they both belong to the Duchess of Aosta?Edit" A most superb post! Thanks Beth and Maridje for reminding us of these treasures. As many people have noted, the Château de Fontainebleau is a very fitting place to display the historic jewels now in the Al-Thani collection. I will probably be able to see it "live" in a few days... On a sidenote, there are ongoing discussions between the French authorities and the Qatar Sheiks to present a selection of the extensive Al-Thani collection in Paris, at the Hôtel de la Marine (on the Place de la Concorde) which appropriately housed the Garde-Meuble before the Revolution, an institution that was responsible for guarding the Crown Jewels. It seems the necklace was significantly lengthened after the Marchionness acquired it. I just love how Lady Churchill wore it. Otherwise, it is incredible it survived unscathed to this day (think of the terrible fate of the Sapphire parure from the French Crown Jewels). The tiara is also a very beautiful, yet unusual, one. The 2015 Sotheby's auction was definitely a significant one! http://orderofsplendor.blogspot.com/2015/10/royal-jewels-of-day-october-20.html

Re: When did Sybil Cholmondeley acquire the jewels and did they both belong to the Duchess of Aosta?Edit Posted by Beth on September 24, 2018, 6:21 am, in reply to "Re: When did Sybil Cholmondeley acquire the jewels and did they both belong to the Duchess of Aosta?Edit" I hope you are able to see the exhibition Thomas and have time to tell us about some of the treasures. I am rather envious of those who live in Europe and North America and the access they have to such interesting museums and exhibitions. Time and time again I have discovered I have an entirely different reaction to many objects when I finally see them in reality.

Re: When did Sybil Cholmondeley acquire the jewels and did they both belong to the Duchess of Aosta?Edit Posted by Ashdean on September 24, 2018, 9:57 pm, in reply to "When did Sybil Cholmondeley acquire the jewels and did they both belong to the Duchess of Aosta?Edit" I have read that Sybil left in her will instructions that her emeralds were to be sold and the proceeds used to restore Rothschild family tombs in France as the jewels had come from them via her mother Lady Sassoon nee Aline de Rothschild...Deborah Duchess of Devonshire was a great friend of Sybil and remembered her jewel case was huge and easily mistaken for a cartridge box used on a shoot! Previous Message No one seems to have yet identified precisely when the Marchioness of Cholmondeley acquired the tiara and necklace. There appears to be consensus that the necklace originally belonged to the Duchess d'Aumale, that it was given by the then widowed Duc to Princess Helene for her wedding in June 1895, and that at some stage it was acquired by the Marchioness. In the reports of the wedding gifts given to Princess Helene, the Duc d'Aumale is said to have given her a necklace and tiara of diamonds and emeralds but, as I have not found photos or sketches of the Duc's gift, it is impossible to say if this tiara was part of his gift. I think it is highly likely to have been. EDIT: I was incorrect. According to the writer of the Lot Essay on the Christie's site https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/jewelry/an-historic-early-19th-century-emerald-and-5945861-details.aspx both the necklace and the tiara were the gifts of the Duc d'Aumale. So far I have not found a photo showing the Marchioness of Cholmondeley wearing the tiara. (She seems to have been intensely private where her jewels were concerned) Nor have I yet found references to her wearing emeralds. There is, however, a photo of the Marchioness wearing the necklace. So, when might the jewels have been acquired by the Marchioness? All that the writer of the "Lot Essay" on the Christie's site https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/jewelry/an-historic-early-19th-century-emerald-and-5945861-details.aspx said was that the necklace changed hands following WWI and sometime in the 20th century. Nevertheless, it is possible to say that the Marchioness owned the necklace by, at the latest, November 1930 based on the photo above. The photo above was taken at the same sitting as the one below, which was published in the Sketch 26 November 1930. Only the necklaces are different. I suspect that, without access to material in either the Chomondeley or Aosta archives, it will be impossible to date the sale precisely. But further photographic evidence may yet narrow the date range. 2nd Edit: I changed "July 1895" above to "June 1895". I am learning that I need to proof read my posts thoroughly before I hit the post button.

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