Rare, Historic and Highly Important 18th century jewel 十八世紀珍貴鑽石項飾

Formerly in the Collection of the Marquess of Anglesey

Cf.: Diana Scarisbrick, Ancestral Jewels – Treasures of Britain’s Aristocracy, Vendome Press, New York, 1989, pg. 89.

Cf.: Diana Scarisbrick, Diamond Jewelry – 700 years of Glory and Glamour, Thames & Hudson, London, 2019, New York, pg. 128- 159, for an in-depth assay on 18th century jewellery.

Cf.: Olga W. Gorewa, Irina F. Polynina, Nikolai Rachmanov and Alfons Raimann (eds.), Joyaux du Trésor de Russia, La Bibliothèque des Arts, Paris, 1990, pg. 52-55, for the cordelières jewel from the Russian crown jewels, the pair of épaulettes and the archive images of the parementures tressées.

Cf.: Bernard Morel, Les Joyaux de la Couronne de France, Fonds Mercator, Antwerp, 1988, pg. 205 – 211 for a text on the private jewels of Marie-Antoinette.

Cf.: Madame Campan, Mémoires de Madame Campan – Première Femme de Chambre de Marie Antoinette, Mercure de France, Parsi 1988, pg. 234 – 251, for a first hand account of the affair of the necklace.

Cf.: Simon Heffer (ed.), Henry ‘Chips’ Channon – The diaries 1943-57, London, 2024, pg. 375 for a Chips Channon’s assumption that the so-called Anglesey tassels were once part of the necklace refused by Marie Antoinette.

Sources from the Paget and Plas Nywedd papers held at Bangor University:

Box of cheque books, bills and receipts (many of the latter from foreign suppliers)(PAG/2/6).

An inventory & Valuation for the purpose of probate of jewellery and silver, September 1947 (PAG/3/575).

File of miscellaneous financial papers, including schedule of life policies (PAG/3/286).

Folder of tributes and newspaper cuttings relating to Marjorie Anglesey following her death in 1946 (PAG/5/24).

In 1959, the jewel was exhibited in London as part of The Ageless Diamond Loan exhibition, alongside many famous Royal and aristocratic diamond jewels including the Williamson Pink Diamond and the brooch set with the Cullinan III and IV diamonds belonging to Queen Elizabeth II.

In 1976, the jewel featured in the American Museum of Natural History’s Bicentennial Exhibition. At the time it was claimed that it was created 1776 by Collingwood and that George III reportedly gifted it to the Duchess of Marlborough. 

1959年，這件珠寶在倫敦舉行的「雋永鑽石借展珠寶」展出，同場也展示不少著名的王室貴族鑽石首飾，例如威廉姆森粉紅之星，以及英女王伊利沙伯二世所有、鑲嵌庫利南III及IV鑽石的胸針。1979年，這件珠寶在美國自然歷史博物館的「二百週年紀念展」展出。

Foreword

By Andres White Correal

Head of Royal and Noble Jewels

Chairman, Sotheby’s Jewellery EMEA

This rare and important diamond jewel, is a sublime survivor from the opulent court life of the Georgian era, defined by its pomp and splendour and its grand jewellery tradition. It stands head and shoulders above all other documented Royal and Imperial jewels of the period thanks to its highly articulated and supple form. It is arguably one of the most outstanding Georgian jewels in private hands. Composed of three impressive diamond rivières, this necklace courses through one’s hand like running water, a testament to the skill of the jeweller who created it over two centuries ago. The diamonds are set à jour, a significant innovation for the period, their open-work mounting allowing more light to enter the stones, enhancing their colour and scintillation, thereby making them appear more lively. At each end of the triple chain are two spectacular tassels. The hand of a master jeweller is revealed as one explores every inch of his chef d’oeuvre. The tassels are hinged to emulate movement, draping, and folding like fabric, their contours highlighted by a pavement of different sized diamonds, that give the impression of continuity and volume, creating the perfect trompe-l’œil effect. It is a remarkable achievement in silver, gold and diamonds. 

The opulence of this diamond jewel reflects the jeweller’s genius, and points to the power and rank of whom the jewel was created for. Jewellery designs of the period mirrored fashion styles and décor drawn from shared aesthetic sources across the courts of Europe. This resulted in what could be referred to as an international style, which was subsequently adapted and refined into distinct local vocabularies. Paris, London, Vienna, and St. Petersburg inspired and challenged one another, each striving to surpass the others in grandeur. Yet, the similarities in taste and workmanship among the jewels produced at this highest level, make it extremely difficult to differentiate between the pieces of this period.

Very few 18th century jewels survive intact. As fashions changed, they were often dismantled, the gems repurposed and fitted into new designs. This makes the survival of this necklace a miracle not least because it is set with nearly 500 diamonds weighing a total of approximately 300 carats, a fortune only Royalty and the very richest members of the nobility could then afford. Due to their high value and their scarcity, diamond jewels were created to be versatile, and transformable, to be worn in a variety of ways. Ladies wore their jewels every day and in a myriad of innovative manners, as paintings of the time can attest. Jewels were sewn into fabrics, for every specific occasion. This diamond jewel can be worn as a necklace, tied around the neck or as a simple negligé. Alternatively, it can also be worn over the shoulder as an épaulette, or as a ras-de-cou to adorn the décolleté, across the corset as a devant-de-corsage or even as a belt around the waist. Its clever design took into account all these possibilities of wear. For instance, the length of each of the rivières differ in their number of diamonds, hence their distinct lengths, allowing them to drape beautifully into garlands. The date of manufacture of this jewel places the source of its diamonds as probably from India and the fabled mines of Golconda. 

When I first held the necklace in my hand, I was mesmerised by its exquisite beauty. The historic significance of this jewel also compelled me to research its fascinating story, the threads of which have blurred in the mists of time. 

It formed the cornerstone of the collection of the Paget family, the Marquesses of Anglesey. In the 20^th century it was worn at King George VI’s coronation (1937), and at Queen Elizabeth II’s (1953). Sir Cecil Beaton photographed the Anglesey Necklace, as it was then known, being worn as a négligé by the glamorous and sophisticated Marjorie Paget, Marchioness of Anglesey, during the 1930s, capturing not only the beauty, versatility, and timelessness of the jewel, complementing seamlessly the fashions of the time, but also the luxurious and lavish social life of the interbellum period. 

In his diary, American-born British conservative politician, author and society figure, Sir Henry “Chips” Channon, refers to a part of Queen Marie Antoinette’s infamous necklace as belonging to the Dukes of Sutherland, “at least two ropes of it, the rest, according to history, was broken up before the French Revolution but I believe the Anglesey tassels, which Marjorie sometimes wears, are a part of it.” 

In 1959, the jewel was exhibited in London as part of The Ageless Diamond Loan Exhibition, alongside many famous Royal and aristocratic diamond jewels including the Williamson Pink Diamond and the brooch set with the Cullinan III and IV diamonds belonging to Queen Elizabeth II.

In 1976, the American Museum of Natural History in New York held an exhibition to commemorate the anniversary of American Independence. Of special interest, there was a collection of world-famous diamonds on view. Here, the necklace was on display, tantalisingly re-named the Bicentennial Necklace, “because it was crafted in 1776 on Orders of King George III”. It was also stated in the catalogue that the magnificent necklace was fashioned in 1776 by the Collingwood Jewellery Firm in London, reputedly as a gift to the third Duchess of Marlborough by King George, and since worn at every coronation and many European royal gatherings.  

The riddle remains unsolved as the necklace’s exceptional qualities eclipse the mystery of its provenance. Regardless of the exact place, year, or the identity of who commissioned this magnificent jewel, it is undeniable to say that is of the utmost historical importance and of ravishing beauty. It is a masterpiece of the Georgian era and a masterclass in design, workmanship, and technical innovation for the period. Today, it is as relevant, alluring and appealing as when it was made over two hundred years ago. Quite simply, this jewel is the nec plus ultra in 18th century jewellery design. 

A Rare and Highly Important 18^th Century Jewel

This splendid and exceedingly rare diamond necklace originated during the last years of the 18th century and stands as one of the last surviving court jewels of that era.

This fascinating jewel, known as a négligé, set with approximately 300 carats of diamonds, is exquisitely designed as three, ultra-supple glittering rivières, terminating in two diamond tassels. It belonged to the British aristocratic Paget family, the Marquesses of Anglesey and in the 20^th century was photographed being worn at the coronations of King George IV in 1937 and of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. In terms of historic value, noble provenance as well as for the beauty and impressive carat weight of its diamonds, the significance of this superlative jewel cannot be overemphasised.

The magnificent court styles of the late baroque, rococo and neoclassical eras lent themselves perfectly to a dazzling display of diamonds, yet very few of these magnificent and elaborate 18^th century diamond jewels survived the ever-changing fashions of later epochs.

Before the discovery of the South African diamond mines in 1867, diamonds were an extremely rare material, afforded only by royalty and the very richest members of society. During the 18^th century the only known sources of diamonds were the legendary mines of the Golconda region in India, that yielded fine-quality, highly transparent diamonds ‘of the first water’, and later Brazil. Diamond mining in Brazil exclusively happened via alluvial findings in the Minas Gerais area, thus the supply never became very reliable. A woman was thus forced to have existing diamonds reset if she wanted to acquire an up-to-date jewel. This in large part explains why so few 18^th century jewels survived to the present day. This rare and highly important diamond jewel, with its generous use of large, early brilliant-cut diamonds, was an absolute statement of affluence and modernity at the time of its creation.

In the spirit of versatility and adaptability, jewellery often took on the form of adornments which could be applied to clothing or hairstyles at the whim of the wearer. Brooches and pins could be used in a variety of ways, whereas diamond rivières were often directly sewn onto the clothing or woven into a hairstyle. In the 18^th century, jewellery typically consisted of silver settings with the central stones mounted in gold. Around 1760, a gold lining was introduced to the reverse of silver settings to prevent discoloration on the skin and clothing. This gold backing also helped to strengthen the silver settings. The négligé consists of silver, open-backed collets, the reverse is lined with gold. This setting style combined with the use of early brilliant cuts, makes the négligé a prime example of all the technical innovations made by late 18^th century jewellers. It is a multifunctional jewel that can either be draped loosely around the neck, crossed-over or used freely as a dress ornament, thus ideally showcasing the versatility of use that typifies 18^th century jewels.

Examples

Today, a few remaining examples of 18^th century court jewels can be found in museums housing former Royal and Imperial collections. Most notably, the Russian State Diamond Fund in Moscow preserves some exquisite jewels created for the Empresses Elisabeth and Catharine II, while the Dresden Grünes Gewölbe houses the magnificent parures composed by Augustus the Strong of Saxony and his successors.

Amongst these rare early jewels, some share stylistic similarities to the diamond jewel formerly owned by the Marquesses of Anglesey. For instance, the Russian Crown Jewels contained a pair of epaulettes made by the crown jeweller Duval for Emperor Paul I in the late 18^th century. They consisted of three articulated lines of diamond rivières terminating in tassels on either end. Along the same lines the Russian State Diamond Fund still owns a pair of mid-18^th century cordelières adorned with diamonds and pearls, these longs bands terminating in tassels were meant to decorate the skirt of a dress. Furthermore, the Russian Crown Jewels also contained a large corsage ornament with a bow from which were suspended two long tassels created for Catherine the Great in the 1770s.

The Dresden Grünes Gewölbe until recently preserved epaulettes created for the brilliant-cut diamond and rose-cut diamond parures of the Saxon Electors, these were last altered by the jewellers Franz Michael Diespach and August Globig in the 1780s. These jewels feature tassels closely related to the ones seen on the diamond jewel offered in this sale.

In 1775, the Prince of Monaco was recorded as having acquired a jewel of passementerie design composed of festoons and swags, terminating in two tassels, collet-set with 147 large diamonds, each numbered at the back. This jewel must have shown great similarities to the diamond jewel offered in this sale as well as to the infamous collier de la reine.  

The Paget family and the Diamond Jewel

The Paget family is an Anglo-Welsh aristocratic house that first rose to prominence during the Tudor era. The Barons Paget were elevated to the Earldom of Uxbridge in 1714, with a second creation of the title following in 1784. The marquisate of Anglesey was created in 1815 for Henry Paget (1768-1854). He was a Field Marshal and hero of Waterloo who fought together with the Duke of Wellington, famously losing a leg at the battle. Just like Lord Wellington, Lord Anglesey amassed a considerable fortune. Following a brilliant military career, he served with distinction in several diplomatic roles.

The Paget ancestral estate is Plas Newydd on the Isle of Anglesey, North-West Wales. The picturesque house is situated on the Menai Strait, overlooking the hills of Snowdonia National Park on the far horizon. Its early neo-gothic exterior was designed by James Wyatt in the late 18^th century and references the series of breathtaking 13^th century castles built by King Edward I along the coast of North Wales.

Though it is unclear exactly how the Paget family came in possession of this diamond jewel, a link to the first Marquess seems plausible given its date. However, the jewel is conspicuously absent from an inventory of the heirloom jewels, plate and paintings drawn up in 1898 after the 4th Marquess’ death.

The theatre loving 5th Marquess of Anglesey (1875-1905) was infamous for his extravagance and eccentricities, ultimately leading to his bankruptcy. The executors sold off his countless personal possessions including jewellery, furniture, clothing and theatrical supplies in a series of auctions held at Plas Newydd between July and November 1904. It is worth noting that the Paget family estates as well as the heirloom plate, pictures and jewels remained separate from the Marquess’ personal bankruptcy. The négligé was not part of the 1904 bankruptcy sales.

Marjorie Paget, wife of the 6th Marquess, frequently wore the diamond jewel, most notably to the coronation of King George VI in 1937. The jewel was listed in an inventory of jewels drawn up after her death in 1946 where it was valued at 18,000 Pounds which corresponds roughly to 1,000,000 GBP in today’s currency. The jewel was valued at more than triple the value of the diamond Anglesey tiara. When the 6th Marquess passed away in 1947, the jewel was recorded among his possessions, indicating how it was seen as an heirloom to be passed down with the title rather than as a personal possession. The Paget family parted with the jewel around the early 1960s. It was then acquired for an important Asian private collection in the 1970s, where it has remained until the present day.

Marjorie Paget, Marchioness of Anglesey

Marjorie Paget, Marchioness of Anglesey (1883-1946) was one of the most celebrated and best-dressed society women of the first half of the 20^th century. From her teenage years onwards, she was hailed for her ravishing beauty. Her elegant dress-sense and prominent place among Royal and high society circles, habitually landed her on the pages of Vogue and Tatler.

She was the eldest daughter of Henry Manners, 8th Duke of Rutland (1852-1925) and Violet Lindsay (1856-1937) who was a talented artist and member of the art-loving aristocratic social circle known as ‘The Souls’ which put her at the very heart of British intellectual life around the turn of the century. Lady Marjorie grew up at the Rutland ancestral home Belvoir Castle and their country house Haddon Hall, one of the best-preserved and most beautiful medieval and Tudor houses in Britain. Marjorie’s youngest sister Lady Diana Manners (1892-1986) became one of the most famous society women of the interwar years and a part-time actress. In 1919, she married Duff Cooper who, though of much humbler origins than herself, went on to have a highly distinguished career in British politics, serving in the Baldwin, Chamberlain and Churchill cabinets, before becoming Ambassador to France. He was eventually bestowed the title of Viscount Norwich.

Lady Marjorie wed Charles Paget, the 6th Marquess of Anglesey (1885-1947) in 1912. This splendid wedding, where the bride’s wedding dress was sewn with “chains of diamonds”, was one of the main social events in London that year. Their Majesties Queen Mary and George V, Queen Alexandra, the Duke of Connaught, Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain, the Crown Princess of Sweden and most of the British high aristocracy all showered the bride with gifts of jewellery and objects of vertu. The wedding took place at St Peter’s Church Eaton Square. The bride’s sister Lady Diana acted as head bridesmaid. The newlyweds spent their honeymoon on the groom’s opulent yacht ‘Semiramis’.

The 6th Marquess served as Lord Chamberlain to Queen Mary. As a result, the Angleseys were very close to the Royal Family and attended many Royal functions. Lady Anglesey also entertained a close friendship with Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the later Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, as attested by their extensive correspondence. The Marquess and Marchioness were frequent guests at events organised by doyennes of London society such as Mrs Ronald Greville, the Marchioness of Londonderry or the Duchesses of Devonshire and Roxburghe.

The 7th Marquess of Anglesey

The 7th Marquess of Anglesey (1922-2013) inherited the title in 1947. On 16 October 1948, he married Ms Shirley Morgan (1924-2017) in a ceremony attended by his deceased parents’ dear friend Her Majesty Queen Mary. In 1953, the couple attended Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation where the Marchioness wore the jewel together with the Anglesey tiara, just as her mother-in-law had done sixteen years prior. On this occasion, she crossed the two tassels in front to secure them. The seventh marquess was a renowned author and military historian who notably published a biography on his heroic ancestor the first Marquess of Anglesey. In 1976, he bequeathed Plas Newydd to the National Trust in order to assure the estate’s maintenance and continuation of the family’s legacy.