Royal & Noble Jewels
Royal & Noble Jewels
A Tsar's Treasure: Ferdinand of Bulgaria (1861-1948)
Estimate
1,700 - 2,600 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Comprising: a circular jewel designed as a heraldic lion, pavé-set with circular-cut pink sapphires, within a border of circular-cut diamonds of yellow and brown tint; a brooch designed as a seraphim angel with red enamelled wings; a brooch depicting the Holy Spirit decorated with blue plique-à-jour enamel and rose diamonds, the reverse engraved Pohorella le 14 Septbre 1911; a brooch designed as a deer’s paw with a carved smoky quartz hoof, collet-set with a circular-cut foil backed quartz, numbered; a brooch designed as the Roman number X millegrain-set with rose diamonds, inscribed 24 Jan. 1924 - 1934; a hat pin designed as a bullet enhanced with circular-cut peridots and rose diamonds; a hat pin designed as a spray of mistletoe set with baroque pearls; and eight brooches and two safety pins; partially illustrated.
Please note that the diamonds of yellow and brown tint have not been tested for natural origin.
The Austrian Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv holds five design books of the 19th century Viennese jeweller Rothe & Neffe based on Kohlmarkt 7. Rothe & Neffe frequently created jewels for Ferdinand I and the Bulgarian Royal family, ranging from modest presentation pieces, to orders and magnificent jewels. These design books contain a drawing for a similar jewel featuring a heraldic lion and designs for a seraphim angel identical to the one presented here. It is plausible that the seraphim angel was indented as the center of the breast star of a military order.
The Holy Spirit pendant inscribed 'Pohorella le 14 Septembre 1911' refers to a Slovakian municipality in which the Sachsen-Coburg and Gotha-Kohary family possessed estates. Likely the brooch was given on the occasion of a confirmation celebrated at that estate.
The brooch shaped like the Roman number X inscribed '24 Jan. 1924 - 1934', commemorates the tenth wedding anniversary of Princess Nadejda of Bulgaria and Albrecht Eugen, Duke of Württemberg.
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