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Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe. Winged tiara Posted by Beth on July 3, 2019, 7:46 pm One of the most arresting jewels I have ever seen is a winged tiara which belonged to Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe. See the V& A Dundee https://mobile.twitter.com/VADundee/status/940965716135735297 The Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe referred to was born Lady Mary Crewe-Milnes, daughter of the 1st Marquis of Crewe and his second wife who was known as Lady Peggy Primrose, daughter of the Earl of Rosebery. In 1935 Lady Mary Crewe-Milnes married the 9th Duke of Roxburghe. They divorced in 1953. According to the V & A Dundee where the jewel is now displayed (and every other site I have seen) this extraordinary jewel was commissioned from Cartier by Lady Mary, presumably after she married as she is referred to as Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe. See V & A Dundee https://www.vam.ac.uk/dundee/info/winged-tiara-to-go-on-display-in-scottish-design-galleries This BBC site has a video of the jewel https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-42322834 I strongly suspect that whoever did the research has confused two separate Duchesses: Mary Goelet, Duchess of Roxburghe and Mary Crewe-MIlnes, Duchess of Roxburghe. The former was the mother-in-law of the latter and, as a wedding gift in 1935, Mary Goelet gave her daughter-in-law a winged tiara, described in the press reports as having Mercury wings. Mary Crewe-Milnes apparently did wear this jewel. I have found 2 reports which indicate this, although I haven't found a photo. 1951 1954 On an internet search images of it come up as the Valkyrie tiara which is what the V & A has termed it. See https://www.google.com/search?q=Valkyrie+tiara&tbm=isch&source=univ&client=firefox-b-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQ8c_kuZjjAhUNXRoKHS5KDeIQsAR6BAgGEAE&biw=1536&bih=710#imgrc=_

Wings by Oscar Massin Posted by ErikS on July 3, 2019, 9:42 pm, in reply to "Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe. Winged tiara" Thank you for that research of news clippings, Beth. The tiara is actually a composite. The wings are made by Oscar Massin (they bear his maker's mark of OM with an anchor) in the 1880's.

Re: Wings by Oscar Massin Posted by Beth on July 4, 2019, 6:48 am, in reply to "Wings by Oscar Massin" Thanks ErikS. I wish I had access to the private papers of Mary Goelet, Duchess of Roxburghe. So many questions arise. Were the wings purchased for her? Did she wear them? Or did she purchase them circa 1935 when Cartier incorporated them into the tiara? Or what? How did Massin intend them to be worn initially?

Re: Wings by Oscar Massin Posted by ErikS on July 4, 2019, 8:56 pm, in reply to "Re: Wings by Oscar Massin" Unfortunately there is no evidence for any previous ownership within the family, although a hypothesis is that the Duchess' grandmother Hannah de Rothschild acquired the wings... Previous Message Thanks ErikS. I wish I had access to the private papers of Mary Goelet, Duchess of Roxburghe. So many questions arise. Were the wings purchased for her? Did she wear them? Or did she purchase them circa 1935 when Cartier incorporated them into the tiara? Or what? How did Massin intend them to be worn initially?

Mary Goelet vs. Mary Crewe-Milnes Posted by mauriz on July 4, 2019, 11:26 pm, in reply to "Re: Wings by Oscar Massin" Previous Message Unfortunately there is no evidence for any previous ownership within the family, although a hypothesis is that the duchess' grandmother Hannah de Rothschild acquired the wings... But as Beth pointed out, the press reported in 1935 that the narrow bandeau with mercury wings was a wedding present from the Duchess' mother-in-law, the Dowager Duchess of Roxburghe, born Mary Goelet, so the wings hardly can have been acquired by the new Duchess' own grandmother Hannah de Rothschild. I think that Beth is correct and whoever did the initial research confused the two Duchesses of Roxburghe, Mary Goelet and her daughter-in-law, Mary Crewe-Milnes, and this false information was repeated ever since, but the Duchess of Roxburghe who commissioned the tiara from Cartier was the elder not the younger Mary.

Re: Wings by Oscar Massin Posted by ErikS on July 4, 2019, 11:40 pm, in reply to "Re: Wings by Oscar Massin" Thank you Mauriz I will convey this information to the person at V&A responsible for the research.

Re: Wings by Oscar Massin Posted by mauriz on July 5, 2019, 12:11 am, in reply to "Re: Wings by Oscar Massin" Previous Message So many questions arise. Were the wings purchased for her? Did she wear them? Or did she purchase them circa 1935 when Cartier incorporated them into the tiara? It's only an assumption, of course, but somehow I think she would have found a way to incorporate the wings into her costume as Scheherazade, if she'd already owned them in 1897.

Re: Wings by Oscar Massin Posted by Beth on July 5, 2019, 8:02 pm, in reply to "Re: Wings by Oscar Massin" Or, perhaps when she took place in another Fancy Dress Dall in 1911? If she had the diamond wings at the time, I am sure she would have worn them then, as her head dress would have accommodated them. But the superstructure of her head dress (where the wings might have been featured) does not show the Massin wings. I am totally intrigued by the wings, and wonder when they were purchased. Were they part of Mary Goelet's jewels? Were they purchased for Mary Crewe Milnes? Hopefully, the information will surface some day.

Photos Posted by ErikS on July 3, 2019, 9:46 pm, in reply to "Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe. Winged tiara"

Valkyrie tiara with removable diamond wings Posted by Ursula on July 3, 2019, 11:42 pm, in reply to "Photos" Mary Crewe The pair of ‘en tremblant’ wings was constructed using wire-coiled springs so that they move slightly when worn. Valkyrie tiara wings Duchess of Roxburghe| Winged Diadem

Re: Valkyrie tiara with removable diamond wings Posted by Beth on July 4, 2019, 6:49 am, in reply to " Valkyrie tiara with removable diamond wings " Thanks Ursula. It really is an extraordinary jewel.

Wrong portrait Posted by mauriz on July 4, 2019, 11:46 pm, in reply to " Valkyrie tiara with removable diamond wings " The painting used to illustrate that article doesn't depict Mary Crewe-Milnes, but her mother, Lady Margaret (Peggy) Primrose.

Re: Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe. Winged tiara Posted by Dave on July 4, 2019, 11:41 am, in reply to "Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe. Winged tiara" Good fact finding guys. Regards, Dave. Previous Message One of the most arresting jewels I have ever seen is a winged tiara which belonged to Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe. See the V& A Dundee https://mobile.twitter.com/VADundee/status/940965716135735297 The Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe referred to was born Lady Mary Crewe-Milnes, daughter of the 1st Marquis of Crewe and his second wife who was known as Lady Peggy Primrose, daughter of the Earl of Rosebery. In 1935 Lady Mary Crewe-Milnes married the 9th Duke of Roxburghe. They divorced in 1953. According to the V & A Dundee where the jewel is now displayed (and every other site I have seen) this extraordinary jewel was commissioned from Cartier by Lady Mary, presumably after she married as she is referred to as Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe. See V & A Dundee https://www.vam.ac.uk/dundee/info/winged-tiara-to-go-on-display-in-scottish-design-galleries This BBC site has a video of the jewel https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-42322834 I strongly suspect that whoever did the research has confused two separate Duchesses: Mary Goelet, Duchess of Roxburghe and Mary Crewe-MIlnes, Duchess of Roxburghe. The former was the mother-in-law of the latter and, as a wedding gift in 1935, Mary Goelet gave her daughter-in-law a winged tiara, described in the press reports as having Mercury wings. Mary Crewe-Milnes apparently did wear this jewel. I have found 2 reports which indicate this, although I haven't found a photo. 1951 1954 On an internet search images of it come up as the Valkyrie tiara which is what the V & A has termed it. See https://www.google.com/search?q=Valkyrie+tiara&tbm=isch&source=univ&client=firefox-b-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQ8c_kuZjjAhUNXRoKHS5KDeIQsAR6BAgGEAE&biw=1536&bih=710#imgrc=_

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