Wedding jewels reflect the taste and style of the time and often
the preferences of the groom, but May of Teck was an jewel victim
and and she had her own taste. Although most antique wedding jewelry
has been dismantled and remade, select pieces have survived.
On the picture above, from the year 1901 - we see an arrangement
of a lot of her gifts:
1 - The ‘Girls of Great Britain’ tiara Garrards, 1893;
altered 1914 A wedding present for Princess May of Teck (the future
Queen Mary) from the ‘Girls of Great Britain and Ireland’,
bought with money raised by a committee chaired by Lady Eve Greville.
It could also be worn as a necklace. Queen Mary later replaced the
pearl finials with diamonds and removed the lozenge-pattern bandeau
from the base so that it could be worn as a headband. Both tiara
and bandeau were given by Queen Mary to Princess Elizabeth as wedding
presents. In 1969 the bandeau was reunited with the tiara M:7 x
21 x 19.5cm
2 - Diamond Riviere Necklace, (gift from Prince of Wales - future
King Edward)
This necklace was to be Mary's wedding gift for her marriage to
the Duke of Clarence. On February 27, 1892 . Queen Mary wore the
necklace at her wedding
3 - 5-row Pearl Necklace of 520 pearls, wedding gift from her Prince
George her groom White
Logde
3 - Diamond and Pearl Pendant from the People of Richmond, executed
and designed by Hunt and Roskell -see the sketch from brooch on
right side - altered on both wings, or probably the Diamond
Brooch from the Surrey Needlehood Guild, both had a pendant of a
large pearl.
4 - Diamond and Pearl Necklace, with Earrings to match, presented
by some Ladies of England, executed by Hunt and Roskell - Mary wore
this jewel also as a tiara >>
5 - Diamond set bow brooch with large pendant pearls - Inhabitants
of Kensington
6 - 3 tier Diamond Stomacher - probably made from other jewelled
Ornaments from wedding presents??
7 - Dorset Bow Brooch
8 - Brooch with large Baroque Orientpearl from Queen Alexandra
9 - Diamond and Pearl Chocker worne as cuff
Source:Royal Collection,The Graphic Royal Wedding
Number 23 July 1893, The Times ,Illustrated London News, July 9
1893,
