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Theory re Kent Pearl Festoon Tiara
Posted by 992234177 on March 1, 2020, 4:23 am
I have just noticed that the court jeweller says that the Kent Pearl Festoon Tiara was made by Cartier at about 1900. And I was wondering if it could be the elusive tiara owned by Princess Victoria of Wales, instead of her mother.
It is an intriguing question 992234177! How I wish we could find more information.
In his book, Tiaras. A history of splendour page 191 Munn says that, although the tiara is in a case from Cartier, an attribution to Cartier as the maker seems "unsafe". He also states that the tiara was possibly made in England circa 1900. I suspect that Munn has actually handled the tiara, so he could have inspected hallmarks and makers' marks. Not all Cartier jewels carry their stamp or those of the firms who worked for Cartier, but I suspect that Munn has the skills to judge if an item might be a Cartier item.
It is possible that the tiara belonged to Princess Victoria but, if so, I would have expected to have found some reference to her wearing such a tiara. To date I haven't found any. The other thing which makes me think it wasn't from Princess Victoria is that Princess Marina wasn't seen wearing it prior to World War II.
I think it makes perfect sense that Princess Victoria was the tiara's original owner. She had no children and left the majority of her estate to her nephew Prince George, Duke of Kent. It would explain why the tiara wasn't featured in Princess Marina's wedding presents and why Marina never wore the tiara until after the war.
i think it makes sense that PssV’s tiara wasn’t by Cartier since they only began to use Cartier extensively later. QM had very little by Cartier. I’m not convinced it’s from PssV but I think it would explain where her tiara, whoever made it, went. I do find it extraordinary that no picture of PssV in her tiara has ever surfaced. I do think that the Missing tiara of QAlexandra is still an option since this piece does look quite like her turquoise tiara in Norway and slightly like the Forget-Me-Not tiara From the Duke of Connaught and Ruby Tiara from Edward VII in Sweden, both presumably in British Royal taste.
someone I think on this board,possibly Beth mentioned that QA had been described as wearing a pearl and diamond tiara while Princess of Wales. Someone and it might have been me though I’m not sure conjectured that this tiara might be the pearl festoon, if given by queen mary to marina.
I was the one to first suggest (on the RJWMB) the idea that the tiara we call the Kent festoon tiara might have originally belonged to Queen Alexandra..
I am firmly convinced by the numerous press reports that Queen Alexandra, as Princess of Wales and later as Queen, had a diamond and pearl tiara. When she became Queen and had access to the Diamond Diadem, which has pearls in the band, it is less easy to distinguish what she may have worn. Nevertheless, I have recently come across a report of her jewels in Berlin 1909 saying that she wore a pearl tipped tiara to a State Ball. Oh for a photo or two!!
Below is a sketch of the State Ball, but it seems to me that the artist was giving only a general impression, but Queen Alexandra is depicted as wearing a tiara similar in shape to the Kent festoon tiara. I am not yet sure how much emphasis to place on the sketch.
on March 1, 2020, 4:23 am
