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The jewel above was owned by the Empress Maria Feodorovna, wife of
Alexander III of Russia. The jewel always remained in the private collection
of the Tsarina and on her death in 1928 she left it to her daughter
the Grand Duchess Xenia.
This jewel of 19th century manufacture had an Imperial Russian Provenance
and was very special to her.
In October 1866, Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich, who on the death
of his elder brother in 1865, had become heir to the Russian throne
and was to be Tsar Alexander III from 1881, married his dead brothers`s
fiancee, Princess Louise Sophie Frederikke Dagmar, the daughter of Christian
IX of Denmark, as a Russian Imperial bride, she became known as Maria
Feodorvna.
She wore the fine natural pearl and diamond pendant mounted with a round
pearl within a circular-cut diamond knotted ribbon and suspending a
smaller circular pearl and a further drip-shaped pearls with rose-cut
diamond cap and cushion-shaped diamond surmount, in one of her early
photograph taken around 1869, shows her wearing this pendant as she
hold her young son, the future Tsar.
This item was offered after her death, by her daughter Grand Duchess
Xenia, at first, to Queen Mary of England,
Hennel Liste No. 40. diamond brooch with 2 round pearls & 1 pear-shaped
pearl (GBP 7000; later revised to GBP 3500-5000) returned to Xenia 6/22/34.
After that, Xenia offered it to a friend of the Romanoff and Youssouppoff
familiy the very rich Lady Deterding, Lydia was constantly updating
her jewels, (2 other important jewels of Russian provenance was als
included in her collection) she bought this jewel from the Grand Duchess,
who sent her a personal letter confirming its provenance and it became
one fo her most treasured possessions.
The pendant above is shown on a circular-cut diamond line necklace,
the necklace was signed from Cartier and added by Lady Deterding.
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Jewellist of Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna
The 76 lots of MF's personal collection went as follows:
27 -- Valued and set aside
24 -- Sold (doesn't indicate as to who)
18 -- Returned to GD Xenia
4 -- Sold to Queen Mary
2 -- Sale suspended by GD Xenia & returned to her
2 -- Returned to Buckingham Palace/withdrawn from sale/loose stones
1 -- Sold to Lord Lascelles
1 -- Sold to the Princess Royal
List of Marie Feodorovna's jewelry ( by Hennels)
1. 8 diamond flowers on white silk band (GBP 1200-1500) not sold
2. 8 diamond ornaments on black silk (GBP 240-350) not sold
3. small diamond hair decoration (GBP 250-300) not sold
4. diamond bangle (GBP 700-850) withdrawn upon Xenia's request
5. diamond & ruby bangle (GBP 250-300) unsold & returned to
Xenia
6. necklace w/144 small pearls (GBP 1200-1600) sold to Ld Lascelles
GBP 1615
7. pearl & diamond choker w/sapphire & diamond clasp (5678-6000)
sold to QM 6000
8. single-strand pearl necklace (GBP 1400-1800) unsold & return
to Xenia
9. single strand pearl necklaces: 45 pearls & diamond clasp; 55
pearls; 49 pearls; 60 pearls; 66 pearls (GBP 48,000) sold for GBP 47,500
10. 33 pearl & diamond bezels, diamond clasp & strand of 32
pearls w/diamond clasp (GBP 40,000-50,000) sold for GBP 64,000
11. diamond star of the order of St Andrew (GBP 500-550) sold for GBP
474
12. diamond & pearl necklace on velvet (GBP 20-30) unsold &
returned to Xenia
13. yellow diamond hairpin (GBP 250-300) sold;no price listed
14. white diamond hairpin (GBP 1800-2400) sold; no price listed
15. 3 hat pins w/single diamond (GBP 280-330) sold; no price listed
16. diamond feather-shaped hatpin (GBP 50-55) sold; no price listed
17. diamond & pear-shaped pearl hatpin (GBP 100-120) unsold
18. 4 tortoise-shell & diamond hairpins (GBP 3-4) left w/GDss Xenia
19. 10 hat pins w/stones (GBP 140) left w/Xenia
20. gold, diamond & spinel cross (GBP 180-250) sold; no price listed
21. ruby & diamond cross (16 sm rubies) (GBP 49) left w/Xenia
22. sapphire & diamond cross (GBP 120-130) left w/Xenia
23. diamond cross w/Savoir's head (GBP 325) left w/Xenia
24. black enamel, diamond & pearl cross (GBP 30) sold; no price
listed
25. enamel cross w/pearls, rubies & diamonds (GBP 35-40) unsold;
returned to Xenia
26. round pendant w/garnets & brilliants (GBP 10) left w/Xenia
27. diamond, sapphire & garnet pendant on platinum chain (GBP 10)
sold to Pss Mary 6/28/29 GBP 10
28. eagle pendant w/diamonds in a gold & silver setting (GBP 15)
left w/Xenia
29. diamond, pearl, ruby & sapphire bracelet (GBP 200) left w/Xenia
30. diamond bracelet w/cabochon sapphire (GBP 250) sold 7/2/29 GBP 199.10
31. gold chain bracelet w/1 turquoise & 1 diamond (GBP 80) returned
to Xenia
32. gold chain set w/rubies, diamonds & Easter eggs in gold &
precious stones (GBP 350) left with Xenia
33. chain set w/cabochon sapphires & moonstones (GBP 25) left w/Xenia
34. turquoise & diamond chain (GBP 15) left with Xenia
35. mat gold chain w/9 pear-shaped pearls (GBP 10) left w/Xenia
36. small sapphire chain (GBP 10) left w/Xenia
37. pearl & diamond pendant w/a miniature & 3 pear-shaped pearls (GBP 1000-1200) sold 2/12/32 for GBP 760
38. heart-shaped diamond brooch w/crown motif (GBP 1200-1250) sold 6/26/29
GBP 1140
39. ruby & diamond brooch w/2 miniatures (GBP 175-200) sold 7/2/29
for GBP 180.10
40. diamond brooch w/2 round pearls & 1 pear-shaped pearl (GBP 7000;
later revised to GBP 3500-5000) returned to Xenia 6/22/34
41. diamond & turquoise pendant (GBP 600-700) returned to Xenia
42. brooch w/oval cabochon sapphire surrounded by diamonds & pear-shaped
pearl (GBP 1400-1900) sold to QM 10/3/30 GBP 2375
43. crown-shaped brooch set w/sapphires & diamonds (GBP 400-500)
sold 3/28/30 GBP 474
44. large oval brooch w/sapphire surrounded by diamonds (GBP 2500-3000)
sold 7/4/29 no price listed
45. large brooch w/cabochon sapphire & 4 diamonds (GBP 2000-3000) sold
/14/29 GBP 2850 later in the Possession of the Duchesses of Kent
46. brooch w/cabochon sapphire & diamonds (GBP 1550) sold GBP 1425
47. brooch w/large round pearl surrounded by diamond rope (GBP 550-600)
sold to QM 6/12/29 GBP 555
48. diamond brooch set w/1 large diamond & 1 large pearl (GBP 1150-1700)
sold 3/28/30 GBP 1187
49. pearl & diamond brooch (GBP 200-250) sold 9/28/30 GBP 142.10
50. round brooch w/pearl & diamond central motif (GBP 22) left w/Xenia
51. diamond bow w/hanging pear-shaped pearl (GBP 120) returned to Xenia
7/18/29
52. saber-shaped diamond brooch w/3 pearls (GBP 130-180) sold 9/30/30
GBP 85.10
53. diamond-studded clover w/baroque pearls (GBP 75) returned to Xenia
54. brooch set w/cabochon emerald, rubies & diamonds (GBP 2000-2500)
sold 6/26/29 GBP 2137
The remaining 22 items on the list are for jewelry w/a value of less
than GBP 100, mostly brooches.
18 of these pieces (est. GBP 1389) were
left w/Xenia. The remaining 4 were sold for a total of GBP 141.27.
The prices paid for the jewels of the Tsarina, etc.,
appear in the Book, The Lost Fortune of the Tsars by William Clarke. Clarke found the original receipts
for the jewels from Hennells, which was responsible for the sale - and
Queen Mary actually paid fair market values for the different pieces.
"Thus, the idea that Queen Mary used her privileged position to
acquire at knock-down prices the Romanov jewels her daughter in law,
granddaughters and other royals are still seen wearing is not justified
by the evidence of the original master list kept by Hennsells."
Clarke further states that Sir Frederick Ponsonby's memory had failed
him -- Sir Frederick had stated that Empress Marie's jewels had raised
L350,000 was incorrect. Clarke also states that the 'settlement' with
GDss Olga by the Queen in 1968 that Suzy Menkes quoted in her book on
royal jewels never occurred. The USA's very own Marjorie Merriwether
Post was in possession of many Romanov pieces including many objets
d'arts that she obtained at bargain basement prices while her husband
was ambassador to Russia (now there's insider information!). Patricia
Phenix's book on Olga gives a pretty detailed accounting. In it there
was a list provided by Hennells.
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