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1867 Mellerio display Posted by Janet on April 10, 2020, 7:01 am This image is one of the most famous photographs of the collections of jewellery ever. It includes the Shell tiara of the Queen of Spain and a floral tiara owned by the House of Savoy. However Does anyone know anything more about the other jewels pictured? For example below the tiaras there are a range of other jewels, huge necklaces of diamonds and an enormous corsage brooch (presumably emeralds?). Does anyone know if any other angles of this extraordinary display exist? It seems there are impressive pieces on either side which are just impossible to make out.

Re: 1867 Mellerio display Posted by Janet on April 10, 2020, 9:08 am, in reply to "1867 Mellerio display" The Savoy Tiara Previous Message This image is one of the most famous photographs of the collections of jewellery ever. It includes the Shell tiara of the Queen of Spain and a floral tiara owned by the House of Savoy. However Does anyone know anything more about the other jewels pictured? For example below the tiaras there are a range of other jewels, huge necklaces of diamonds and an enormous corsage brooch (presumably emeralds?). Does anyone know if any other angles of this extraordinary display exist? It seems there are impressive pieces on either side which are just impossible to make out.

Re: 1867 Mellerio display Posted by Beth on April 10, 2020, 6:40 pm, in reply to "Re: 1867 Mellerio display" So interesting! Thank you Janet. I have to confess to my woeful ignorance! I wish I had a copy of Vincent Meylan's book on Mellerio. I wonder if the peacock feather seen in the first photo (the 1867 display) is the one which was purchased by Empress Eugenie in 1868? For some information on that jewel see this site Sotheby's https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/mellerio-treasures-from-the-collection-of-frances-oldest-jeweller And is Empress Eugenie's brooch the one auctioned by Sotheby's in November 2009? See Sotheby's http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/lot.420.html/2009/magnificent-jewels-ge0905

Re: 1867 Mellerio display Posted by Stefan on April 10, 2020, 6:46 pm, in reply to "Re: 1867 Mellerio display" The tiara on top of the display looks like one of the spanish ducal coronets like the one whoch was later owned by Queen Fabiola or the one from the Alba Family. But as there are many of them it is impossible to say which one it ould be. Previous Message So interesting! Thank you Janet. I have to confess to my woeful ignorance! I wish I had a copy of Vincent Meylan's book on Mellerio. I wonder if the peacock feather seen in the first photo (the 1867 display) is the one which was purchased by Empress Eugenie in 1868? For some information on that jewel see this site Sotheby's https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/mellerio-treasures-from-the-collection-of-frances-oldest-jeweller And is Empress Eugenie's brooch the one auctioned by Sotheby's in November 2009? See Sotheby's http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/lot.420.html/2009/magnificent-jewels-ge0905

To illustrate the frustration of the angle issue... Posted by Janet on April 10, 2020, 8:39 pm, in reply to "1867 Mellerio display" Following the death of King Umberto of Italy, there was the sale of a a number of jewels including the floral tiara. Also for sale in 1985 was an emerald brooch which belonging to his grandmother Queen Margherita, who has received it from her mother Elisabeth of Savoy. Is it the brooch at the very bottom aligned with the floral tiara, which was also owned by the House of Savoy? I accept it isn't a perfect fit, the diamonds at the centre are more rounded whereas in the 1867 picture they appear more pointed but I am conscious that could just be a trick of the light/angles.

Re: To illustrate the frustration of the angle issue... Posted by Beth on April 11, 2020, 11:52 am, in reply to "To illustrate the frustration of the angle issue..." Is this the jewel you are asking about Janet? If so, then I have to confess that I don't know. Has the angle of the photo made the shape of the lower, pearl shaped gemstone look different? As you noted, it is frustrating!

Yes that is the one... Posted by Janet on April 11, 2020, 9:56 pm, in reply to "Re: To illustrate the frustration of the angle issue..." Your IT skills are better than mine. Thank you for cropping the picture to focus on the specific jewel. I don't suppose we will ever know but at least the mystery will keep us entertained in these trying times. I suppose its fair to say that the design of the brooch in this picture and the brooch auctioned in the 1980s is not especially unique and therefore if they are not one in the same, they are in the same vein.

Re: 1867 Mellerio display Posted by Dave on April 12, 2020, 2:17 am, in reply to "1867 Mellerio display" Looks like all a Belgium and Spanish royal and noble jewels to me. Is it possible the great sq. and oval cut stones came from the Spanish Queen Isabella who I had posted on a while ago wearing some huge magnificent sq. cut emeralds? Regards, Dave. Previous Message This image is one of the most famous photographs of the collections of jewellery ever. It includes the Shell tiara of the Queen of Spain and a floral tiara owned by the House of Savoy. However Does anyone know anything more about the other jewels pictured? For example below the tiaras there are a range of other jewels, huge necklaces of diamonds and an enormous corsage brooch (presumably emeralds?). Does anyone know if any other angles of this extraordinary display exist? It seems there are impressive pieces on either side which are just impossible to make out.

Isabella's emeralds Posted by Janet on April 12, 2020, 7:04 am, in reply to "Re: 1867 Mellerio display" The large dark of stones are likely to be emeralds in my view and it is true that Isabella II had an enormous corsage of emeralds, although the design is quite different. However stones of that size don't just dissapear and equally cannot be considered normal or average. I hope one day there is a proper study of Queen Isabella's jewels, her jewels were extraordinary. https://i.insider.com/5e3ae9d8ab49fd068f5899b2?width=700&format=jpeg&auto=webp

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