Today marks the Anniversary of the Death of Princess Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood, who passed away on this day in 1965! The only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary who married into the prominent Aristocratic Family, Princess Mary had an enormous jewellery collection, most of which has been sold in the years since her passing, though today’s piece is unique in having been sold during her life time: The Russian Sapphire Devant de Corsage!
Harewood Scroll Tiara | Queen Victoria’s Sapphire Tiara | Harewood Fringe Tiara | Emerald Necklace | Russian Sapphire Devant de Corsage
A striking diamond necklace composed of diamond knots set with twenty-two sapphires with a flexible diamond fringe, elements of the necklace could be worn separately as brooches. The Sapphire Necklace was part of a Parure given as a wedding gift to Princess Cecilie of Baden when she married Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia in 1857, and was estimated at 57,450 rubles. After her passing in 1891, of a heart attack upon the news of the morganatic marriage of her son, Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich, though it was he who inherited the Sapphire Necklace (incidentally today also marks the anniversary of the birth of his daughter, Nadejda, Marchioness of Milford Haven).
After the Russian Revolution, in 1922, Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich sold his mother’s Sapphire Necklace to Viscount Lascelles, the future 6th Earl of Harewood, which he presented as a wedding gift to his bride, Princess Mary. The Russian Sapphire Necklace was among the wedding gifts put on public display at St. James’ Palace, along with the Harewood Scroll Tiara, Queen Victoria’s Sapphire Tiara, and Fringe Tiara.
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Princess Mary found the Russian Sapphire Necklace too heavy and thus wore the piece as a Devant de Corsage for the first time a few months later with the Harewood Scroll Tiara and Queen Victoria’s Sapphire Necklace for a Presentation Court at Buckingham Palace, when Official Portraits were taken.
The following year, Princess Mary wore one of the elements of the Devant de Corsage as a Brooch, for the Wedding of her brother, the Duke of York, and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, and later two elements were worn as brooches for portraits with Queen Victoria’s Sapphire Coronet.
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In 1935, the Russian Sapphire Devant de Corsage was among the Jewels displayed at an Exhibition of Russian Art in London, along with the Vladimir Sapphire Kokoshnik, Vladimir Fringe Tiara, Queen Alexandra’s Amethyst Tiara, Queen Olga’s Diamond Rivière. The lot notes stated:
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.
Two years later, the Princess Royal wore the Russian Sapphire Devant de Corsage with the Harewood Scroll Tiara and Queen Victoria’s Sapphire Necklace for the Coronation of her brother, King George VI, and a series of portraits taken at the same time.
Princess Mary also paired the Russian Sapphire Devant de Corsage with the Harewood Scroll Tiara and Queen Victoria’s Sapphire Necklace for the Coronation of her niece, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1953.
One of the last notable appearances of the Russian Sapphire Devant de Corsage came in 1956, when Princess Mary joined the British Royal Family for a Banquet hosted by the British Army in the Great Hall of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea.
While much of Princess Mary’s splendid Jewellery Collection has been sold in the years since her death, there were some pieces that Princess Mary sold during her lifetime to help support Harewood House and the Estate. The Russian Sapphire Devant de Corsage was sold at auction, along with her Emerald Necklace, on 23 November 1960 at Christie’s for £28,000 to Levy-Cohen who was acting for Harry Winston of New York City and has not been seen since.
However, at least two small elements, each consisting of a sapphire set in a diamond scroll, of the Sapphire Devant de Corsage has remained with the Earls of Harewood, being worn by Princess Mary’s daughter-in-law, the late Patricia, Countess of Harewood, with Queen Victoria’s Sapphire Coronet, and her daughter-in-law, Andrea Kershaw when she married the Hon. Mark Lascelles in 1992. While the Sapphire Coronet has been sold, it is presumed that the Sapphire Earrings remain with the family.
Harewood Scroll Tiara | Queen Victoria’s Sapphire Tiara | Harewood Fringe Tiara | Emerald Necklace | Russian Sapphire Devant de Corsage
