Today marks the Anniversary of the Birth of Madame, The Countess of Paris, who was born on this day in 1911! The French-born Brazilian Princess who was the Consort of the Head of the House of Orléans for over sixty years and the mother of eleven illustriously married children, the Countess possessed some spectacular heirlooms, like these Diamond Earrings!
When the future Count of Paris married Princess Isabelle of Orléans-Braganza in 1931, the bride received the Action Française Tiara and Coty Emerald Tiara from well wishers and organisations, but the groom gave her a versatile Art Deco Diamond Bracelet Bandeau and these Art Deco Diamond Earrings created from Diamonds that belonged the the Princess of Joinville, a daughter-in-law of King Louis Philippe.
In the 1930s, the Countess of Paris wore the Art Deco Diamond Earrings with the Action Française Tiara and her Art Deco Diamond Bracelet for a series of Portraits taken soon after her marriage,
In the 1950s, the Countess of Paris paired the Action Française Tiara and her Art Deco Diamond Bracelet with the Art Deco Diamond Earrings for a Ball in Paris in 1953.
Princess Isabelle, the eldest daughter of the Count and Countess of Paris, wore the Diamond Earrings with the Coty Emerald Tiara at the Grand Bal de la Cour, which was held at the Royal Palace of Brussels on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition in 1960.
Princess Isabelle also wore the Diamond Earrings with the Coty Emerald Tiara during the Wedding Ball of her sister, Princess Diane, to Duke Carl of Wurttemberg at Schloss Altshausen in 1960.
Two years later, the Diamond Earrings were worn by Princess Anne with the Coty Emerald Tiara for one of the Wedding Balls of Prince Juan Carlos and Princess Sophia of Greece at the Royal Palace of Athens in 1962.
In 1964, Princess Isabelle wore the Diamond Earrings with the Orléans Diamond Comb for her Wedding to Count Frédéric-Charles of Schönborn Buchheim at the Royal Chapel of Dreux.
In 1988, the Countess of Paris wore the Art Deco Diamond Earrings with Empress Joséphine’s Diamond Tiara for the the Wedding Ball of her granddaughter, Duchess Mathilde of Württemberg, and Hereditary Count Erich of Waldburg zu Zeil and Trauchburg at Schloss Altshausen.
The Countess of Paris wore the Art Deco Diamond Earrings with the Chaumet Curvilinear Tiara for the spectacular Wedding Ball of her grandson, Duke Philipp of Württemberg, and Duchess Marie-Caroline in Bavaria at Schloss Nymphenburg in 1991.
The Countess of Paris also wore the Art Deco Diamond Earrings with the Coty Emerald Tiara for the Wedding Ball of her grandson, Duke Friedrich of Württemberg, and Princess Marie of Wied at Schloss Altshausen in 1993, when she was photographed having her hair done by the famed Alexandre de Paris.
At some point in the later years of her life, the Countess of Paris wore the Art Deco Diamond Earrings with her Art Deco Diamond Bracelet Bandeau for a series of portraits, after the sale of the Orléans Sapphire Parure.
The Countess of Paris continued to wear the Art Deco Diamond Earrings from the Princess of Joinville well into her old age. Unlike her other jewels, it is not too clear which of the Countess’ eleven children inherited these Diamond Earrings, but they not in the possession of the current Countess of Paris.
