HISTORIC JEWELS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20782, 17 July 1937, Page 11 (Supplement)

HISTORIC JEWELS

A QUEEN’S NECKLACE FOR SALE

A Queen’s necklace, offered for sale by two Bourbon Princesses, is shortly to come up for auction in London.

It is the historic necklace of 43 diamonds which once belonged to the beautiful and tragic Marie Antoinette, guillotined during the French Revolution. Before her death she gave her necklace for safety to her daughter, Marie Therese Charlotte, afterward Duchess d’Angouleme. In the sale catalogue, now published, the necklace is prosaically described as

“Lot A.” But its faded red morocco case, bearing the arms and initials of Marie Antoinette, calls up at once pictures of those far-off days of careless splendour at the French Court. The necklace is being sold by order

of the present joint owners, the Archduchess Blanca of Austria and Beatrix, Princess of Massimo, direct descendant of Marie Antoinette. They are the daughters of Don Carlos, once claimant to the throne of Spain. A certificate of origin, signed by the Archduchess Blanca before the British Vice-Consul at Vienna, accompanies the necklace. In effect, this certificate is a “pedigree,” tracing the history of the necklace as it was handed down from the tragic Queen to its present owners. Beautifully illuminated and written on finest velum, it forms itself an art treasure.

At the same sale is to be offered a necklace which has always been considered the best collection of black pearls of its kind in the world. It is the 43-pearl necklace that belonged to the late Annie, Viscountess Cowdray. The centre pearl of this necklace weights about 42 grains, and in all the weight is about 882 grains. The necklace, together with a huge single black pearl suspended by a small chain set with diamonds, is being offered for sale by Lord Cowdray.