Reigning European Royalty and exiled Russian Royalty and Nobility loaned the Vladimir Sapphire Kokoshnik, Vladimir Fringe Tiara, Queen Alexandra’s Amethyst Tiara and Catherine the Great’s Pearls among spectacular Royal and Noble Jewels on display at the magnificent Russian Art Exhibition in London 90 years ago!
Prince and Princess Yusupov view the Exhibit
The last pathetic relics of the luxury and splendour with which the pre-war Russian aristocracy loved to surround itself were recently on view at No. 1 Belgrave Square — just two doors away from the residence of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, writes a London correspondent. Because of her Tsarist ancestry, the Duchess was called upon to perform the opening ceremony and make her first official speech in England since her marriage. This was one of the shortest on record. She simply smiled and said: “I have much pleasure in declaring the Exhibition open.”
The Duchess made the rounds of the spacious rooms, filled with the ikons, the priceless jewels, the bibelots, the pictures and rich embroidered stuffs which White Russians, flying for their lives, managed to smuggle out of the country before the Bolshevist regime took over. She gazed at the magnificent — almost flamboyant — tiara of sapphires and diamonds, now the property of Queen Marie of Romania, The sapphires, as big as pigeons’ eggs, almost dwarfed diamonds of such size and splendour that alone they would have made a rare and wonderful blaze of light.
This originally belonged to her grandmother, the Grand Duchess Vladimir, whose collection of jewels was famous, even amid the barbaric ostentation of pre-war Russia. So that they might never be shut away from her gaze, this Grand Duchess had glass cases all round her bedroom, in which her jewels were displayed.
Among the jewels there are six exhibits worth 100,000. One pear-shaped pearl, which tradition declares to be the pair to that dissolved in wine by Cleopatra, is literally priceless. It is regarded as so valuable that no price can be placed upon it. Once owned by Philip II of Spain, and by Louis XVI of France, it came into the possession of Princess Tatiana Yusupova in 1826, and still remains in the Yusupov family. An enormous spray of diamonds and turquoises, representing a loose bunch of cornflowers, drew envious glances from all women present; and so did the necklace of sapphires and diamonds, with a pointed diamond fringe.
Perhaps the most enchanting section of all was that devoted to the work of Faberge, the famous jeweller of French descent who won favour at the court of Tsar Nicholas II, because of his ingenuity in devising the most extravagantly beautiful little toys and bibelots. Many of those which survived the downfall of Russia are now the property of Queen Mary, who delights also in their exquisite workmanship. There was a little crowd of women around the miniature jade piano, for instance, with its tiny ivory keys, and lid that opens and shuts perfectly. Then Faberge excelled in the production of Easter eggs; and for each of the great Russian Easter festivals, he used to think of some new idea to please the Tsar.
One was in the form of a bay tree, its leaves of fine jade and spangled with diamond and amethyst. This was placed on a plinth of jade and diamonds, surrounded by posts and chains of the same precious stones. Within, there was a tiny diamond bird which popped out and sang, upon pressing a secret spring. One of the charms of these extravagant toys of Faberge was that they all worked.
Lord Herbert, the former Crown Princess Cecilie of Prussia and M. Polovtsoff examine a bronze bust of Peter the Great
Then there was the Easter egg of pink enamel, covered all over with lily-of-the-valley blossoms in pearls and diamonds, which had tiny flaps in its sides, revealing miniatures of the Tsar and the two Grand Duchesses. One of gold and yellow enamel contained a tiny model of the imperial coronation coach in gold, and carried out with a wealth of painstaking detail. An egg of rock crystal held within its transparent depths a graceful golden tree, as well as a mechanical peacock in rich blue and green enamel.
Sapphire And Diamond Tiara
Formerly the property of the Grand Duchess Vladimir.
Lent by Her Majesty Queen Marie of Romania.
Diamond Fringe Tiara
Antique diamond fringe. Given by the late Emperor to H.I.H. the Grand Duchess Helen of Russia on her marriage to H.R.H. Prince Nicholas of Greece.
Lent by H.R.H. Countess zu Toerring.
Tiara And Dog-Collar Necklace
Amethysts and diamonds.
Lent by Lady Maud Carnegie.
Sapphire and Diamond Necklace
Sapphires and diamonds, formed of seven flowers, with sapphire centres and drops. Formerly the property of the Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich.
Lent by H.R.H. the Princess Royal, London.
Diamond Rivière
Given by the Emperor Alexander II to Queen Olga of the Hellenes on her marriage to King George I of Greece, 1867.
Lent by H.R.H. Princess Marie of Greece.
Pearl Necklace, With Black Pearl
The black pear-shaped pearl is known as Azra and was formerly one of the crown jewels of Russia. Catherine II gave it to Potemkin in 1783 and he bequeathed it to his niece, Princess Tatiana Youssoupoff.
Lent by Princess Zéneide Youssoupoff, Paris.
Pair Of Round Pearl Ear-Rings
Lent by Princess Zéneide Youssoupoff, Paris.
Pear-Shaped Pearl “Pellegrine”
According to a legend this pearl belonged to Cleopatra, and was the sister to the one she dissolved at the banquet given to Mark Antony. It was certainly in the collection of Phillip Il of Spain and Louis XIV of France, and was acquired in 1826 by Princess Tatiana Youssoupoff.
Lent by Princess Zéneide Youssoupoff, Paris.
Corsage Ornament
Six linked graduated amethyst and diamond brooches. Given by Alexander I to Frances Anne, Marchioness of Londonderry.
Lent by the Marquess of Londonderry, K.G., London.
Diamond Tiara
A portion of this tiara, notably the sides, formed part of the collection of jewels belonging to Catherine Woronzow, Countess of Pembroke, and were left to her daughter at her death. The stones were incorporated into this tiara, which was made in London.
Lent by The Hon. Lady Carnegie, London.
Pendant
Given by Catherine the Great to the Malmesbury family.
Lent by Mrs. Cole, Lelant.
Pendant And Bracelet
Turquoises and diamonds, given by Catherine II to the Walpole family.
Lent by Anne, Countess of Mexborough, London.
Brooch
Gold, with fine cut sapphire pendants and diamonds. FABERGÉ.
Lent by The Hon. Lady Carnegie, London.
Diamond Pendant
With miniature of the Empress Maria Alexandrovna (mother of the Duchess of Edinburgh), who gave it to the 7th Earl of Dunmore on the occasion of the birth of the Duchess of Edinburgh’s first child, Alfred, Prince of Saxe Coburg Gotha, in 1874.
Lent by The Dowager Countess of Dunmore, London.
Pendant
Emerald, diamond and pearl. Belonged to Princess Alexander Kudachev, circa 1860.
Lent anonymously.
Diamond Topaz Ornament And Ear-Rings
Was the property of the Countess of Pembroke, née Woronzow, left to her daughter, Lady de Vesci, and now the property of Lady de Vesci’s granddaughter, Mrs. Herbert.
Lent by the Hon. Mrs. Aubrey Herbert.
Turquoise And Diamond Spray Ornament
A christening gift to Constance Murray, Lady Elphinstone, from Prince Woronzow.
Lent by Lord Elphinstone, London.
Diamond And Ruby Cross
Lent by Count Torby, Cannes.
Small Diamond Clasp With Egg Attached
Originally given by the Emperor Alexander III to Prince Alexander Gorchakov, last Imperial Chancellor, it served to unite miniatures of Alexander II and Alexander III.
