Gold and turquoise demi-parure, 1830s and an enamel brooch with locket, circa 1820

Lot Closed

December 5, 03:45 PM GMT

Estimate

5,500 - 7,500 EUR

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Lot Details

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Description

Comprising: a cannetille necklace suspending a pendant designed as a Latin cross set with cabochon turquoises, length approximately 480mm; a pair of pendent earrings of floral design set with cabochon turquoises, pendants detachable; a brooch designed as a knot applied with blue and white enamel accents and a locket of similar design, opening to reveal two locks of hair.

Please note that the lot title now reads: Gold and turquoise demi-parure, 1830s and an enamel brooch with locket, circa 1820

Brooch and Locket:

Charlotte von Siebold (1788-1859), received for assisting at the birth of the later Queen Victoria

Necklace and pair of earrings:

Mrs. Louisa Louis (1769 - 1838), received as a gift from Queen Victoria

Cf.: Magda Heidenreich, Wesentliches und Unwesentliches au seiner weltoffenen südhessischen Familie, Eduard Roether Verlag, Darmstadt, 1980, pg. 97, for a biography of Charlotte von Siebold.

Charlotte von Siebold (1788-1859)

Charlotte von Siebold (1788-1859) received the brooch with matching locket as a present for her help in assisting at the birth of the later Queen Victoria on 24 May 1819. In fact, the locket contains locks of hair of both Queen Victoria and her mother Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess of Kent (1786-1861).

Charlotte von Siebold was born in Heiligenstadt in 1788. In March 1817, she graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Giessen, only the second German woman to ever graduate into this profession, making her a true trailblazer. Charlotte von Siebold wrote her dissertation about the health risks related to pregnancy and soon the fame of her expertise on deliveries spread across the courts of Europe. She oversaw the birth of the later Queen Victoria in May 1819, and in an ironic twist of fate, she also helped to deliver Queen Victoria’s future husband Prince Albert of Sachsen-Coburg and Gotha. In 1829, Charlotte von Siebold married fellow physician August Andreas Heidenreich. In 1845, The English Royal couple honoured her with a visit in Mainz. She passed away in Darmstadt on 8 July 1859 and soon thereafter a foundation was founded in her honour.

The author Magda Heidenreich was able to substantiate the provenance of this collection of jewels given to Charlotte von Siebold with archival material from the Royal Archive at Windsor Castle for which she received the permission from her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II.

The gold and turquoise necklace and earrings were given as a personal gift by Queen Victoria to Mrs. Louisa Louis (1769 - 1838).