Gifts of Grandeur: The Prince Albert Bracelet, 1844

Portrait Bracelet
Commissioned by Prince Albert, 1844
William Essex
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

William Essex (1784-1869), a well-known jeweler and miniaturist favored by the Court of Queen Victoria was commissioned in 1844 by Prince Albert to create a portrait bracelet for (one of) his Royal wife’s Christmas present that year.

The bracelet of gold and enamel consists of five gold knots and four enamel panels of York and Lancaster roses, each one surrounded by a Garter. The piece terminates in a watercolor on ivory portrait miniature of Prince Albert.

Albert (1819-1861) quite enjoyed designing jewelry for Queen Victoria—a fact which I much exploit in Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square and A Recipe for Punch. However, he really did have a good head for such design work and also had a knack for incorporating sentiment into the pieces which he commissioned.

Prince Albert asked Essex to copy in miniature his countenance from Thorburn’s portrait of the prince in armor. That painting has been presented to the Queen as a birthday gift from Prince Albert that same year. She wrote in her journal on May 24, 1844 of Thorburn’s portrait:

“My beloved Albert is painted in armour, which I so much wished … I cannot say how beautiful it is, nor how exactly [it] portrays the dear original.”

The Prince Consort also cleverly incorporated into the bracelet the design of the collar of the Garter which had been made especially for Queen Victoria. Her Majesty was quite pleased with the bracelet and wrote in her journal on Christmas Eve that year:

“[Albert] took me to his room, where he gave me a most lovely bracelet, with his dear picture, also after Thorburn beautifully enamelled, set with a replica in small of the Collar of the Order of the Garter, in enamel work. It is his own exquisite taste & one of the loveliest things I ever saw. How I shall value it, & what extreme pleasure it gives. I put it on at once, & it was much admired.” 

By all accounts, the Queen really did favor the bracelet and wore it frequently. She is pictured wearing the piece in a watercolor by Carl Haag, “Evening at Balmoral Castle.”

"Evening at Balmoral Castle"
Carl Haag
Watercolor, 1854
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

History's Runway: An Embroidered Garter Star, 1627-1700

Embroidered Garter Star
Edmund Harrison, 1627-1700
The Victoria & Albert Museum

We’ve looked at many jeweled garter stars, dripping with diamonds.  But, they weren’t always gem-encrusted.  Sometimes, especially on daily-worn uniforms, the star was an embroidered patch which was sewn onto the garment.  Well, look at that…here’s one which dates between 1627 and 1700.

This form of the Order of the Garter (the highest order of English knighthood) as a star was introduced by King Charles I (ruled 1625-1649) in 1627. The garter star was to be worn by Knights of the Garter, “upon the left part of their cloaks, coats and riding cassocks, at all times when they shall not wear their robes, and in all places and assemblies...a testimony to the World, of the honour they hold...the Order Instituted and Ordained for persons of the highest honour and greatest worth.”

I want one.  I’d settle for being granted an OBE.  Hint, hint, Buck House.

Embroidered badges like this, and, in fact, all ceremonial embroidery was carried out in professional workshops in London. One such workshop was run by one Edmund Harrison, who held the appointment of “King's Embroiderer.” In 1633-1634, Harrison supplied 34 “rich orders set upon clokes [cloaks] and coates.” These varied in quality and materials.

One star that Harrison supplied to the Master of the Robes was “of blue velvet set with diamonds.”  And, thus, began the tradition of adding jewels to these stars.

We do not know to whom this star of the Order of the Garter belonged. Since being given to the V&A in the Nineteenth Century, it has been associated with a gift from Elizabeth of Bohemia (1596-1662), sister of Charles I. Such a badge can still be seen in place on the wedding suit of Charles's son James, later James II (ruled 1685-1688), which is also in the V&A.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Star of the Saxe-Ernestine Order, 1840

The Star of the Saxe-Ernestine Order
Created for Prince Albert, 1840
Gold, Yellow Diamonds, White Diamonds,
Opals, Emeralds, Blue Enamel
The Royal Collection

Of the many stars and garter badges given to Prince Albert during his life, this one is the most unusual for its use of opals in place of white enamel and the inclusion of both white and canary diamonds.


This is the Star of the Saxe-Ernestine Order which was given to Prince Albert in 1840. The order was founded in 1833 by Albert’s father, Ernest of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The star was meant to commemorate Albert’s appointment as Grand Cross of the Order in 1838.

Prince Albert can be seen wearing this particular star in the painting of the christening of the Princess Royal byCharles Robert Leslie in 1841.

The Christening of Victoria, Princess Royal
1841-1843
Charles Robert Leslie
The Royal Collection

Gifts of Grandeur: A Badge of the Order of The Garter, 1640

Insignia
Order of the garter
Lesser George
Gold and Enamel, 1640
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Yay! It’s an insignia of the Order of the Garter! I always like these. I like the garter stars most of all, but these little Georges are always a treat. The Order of the Garter was founded in 1348, on St. George’s Day, by King Edward III. It’s the oldest order of chivalry in Europe. It’s also Britain’s highest order and honor.

When granted the Order of the Garter, the individual is given a set of chivalric insignia. He’s set up with a Greater George (I’ll explain more below) for formal use, a Lesser George for everyday wear, and a star to wear on his cloak. These stars, at first, were embroidered with metallic thread, but, if you were special, yours could be a pin made of gold and diamonds.

By the time of Henry VIII, the badges were designed to be worn on a collar. Henry introduced the collar which consisted of 26 Tudor roses within blue garters, with an image of St George killing the dragon hanging by a gold tassel.

That particular image of George slaying the dragon is known as “The Greater George.” So, any garter badge with that depiction is known as such. The one that we see above is known as a “Lesser George.” This version would have been worn for more informal occasions. The Lesser George depicts St. George and the dragon, pre-kill, surrounded by a garter and the motto of the Order.

The twenty-six Tudor roses on the collar symbolize the twenty-six members of the order. The order consists only of twenty-six living members at a time. The collar was not to be set with precious stones. I’m not sure why, but that was the rule. The stars and other insignia could, however, be adorned with any sort of gems that were in fashion at the time.

While the example we see here is made of gold and enamel, other examples of the period are, in fact, set with gems. Greater Georges usually boasted more gems than their informal brothers, but every once in awhile, a Lesser George sparkled with diamonds and other gems. Charles I, for example, wore one set with over 400 diamonds. He wore it to his execution—as one does.

This particular Lesser George was once owned by Thomas Wentworth, who was knighted by King James I and created Earl of Strafford by Charles I in 1640. The Earl represented Yorkshire in Parliament and though he outwardly fought for more honesty and accountability in government, he was actually a rather nasty, greedy and ruthless bloke who made himself many enemies. He was tried for treason during the war with Scotland, and, executed. Presumably, unlike Charles I, he didn’t wear his insignia to the chopping block.

I should note that since being made in 1640, this insignia has, unavoidably, suffered some damage. At one time, George would have been holding a sword or a spear or some other sharp weapon which one might use to bother a dragon. That’s long gone and he’s just holding his little hand up—empty.

Gifts of Grandeur: Queen Victoria’s Insignia of the Order of the Garter, 1840

Lesser George
Agate Cameo by Nathaniel Marchant
Setting of Gold and Diamonds
Early Nineteenth Century
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection 
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Created by Nathaniel Marchant (1739-1816), this “Lesser George” insignia of the Order of the Garter is a work of brown on gray agate, gold and diamonds. While Royal Family oral history states that this chivalric badge was once worn by King George IV, it’s important to note that it was not recorded in the inventory of the Royal Collection until the accession of George’s niece, Queen Victoria, in 1837.

The badge clearly predates Victoria’s reign and is thought to be one of two which were made for King George IV while he was either still Prince of Wales or Prince Regent, filling-in for his ailing father, King George III. The more informal of the two, this badge features a lovely cameo of St. George about to vanquish the dragon, signed by Marchant. It’s likely that the setting is later.

The 1837 record of the badge, being its first mention, states only that Queen Victoria asked that this “Lesser George” be removed from Windsor Castle for “the Queen’s use.” That same year, the badge was take to Rundells where it was altered or repaired. Victoria favored this badge and wore it often. She was painted wearing the piece several times—notably by Franz Zaver Winterhalter. 

Gifts of Grandeur: Prince Albert’s Garter, 1840

The Garter of Prince Albert
1840
Gold, Diamonds, Velvet
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II

Part of the suite of jewels that Prince Albert received from Queen Victoria two days before their wedding in 1840, the magnificent garter of blue velvet edged in diamonds was the centerpiece. Included in the suite were a star brooch previously belonging to Victoria (very similar in design to The Star of the Order of Bath) and the garter insignia known as “The Lesser George.”


In addition to the edges, the garter’s motto and buckle are lavishly adorned with remarkably flawless diamonds. Albert wore the suite on his wedding day and was later depicted wearing them in many portraits.

Mastery of Design: The Prince Albert Bracelet, 1844

Portrait Bracelet
Commissioned by Prince Albert, 1844
William Essex
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

William Essex (1784-1869), a well-known jeweler and miniaturist favored by the Court of Queen Victoria was commissioned in 1844 by Prince Albert to create a portrait bracelet for (one of) his Royal wife’s Christmas present that year.

The bracelet of gold and enamel consists of five gold knots and four enamel panels of York and Lancaster roses, each one surrounded by a Garter. The piece terminates in a watercolor on ivory portrait miniature of Prince Albert.

Albert (1819-1861) quite enjoyed designing jewelry for Queen Victoria—a fact which I exploit in Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square. However, he really did have a good head for such design work and also had a knack for incorporating sentiment into the pieces which he commissioned.

Prince Albert asked Essex to copy in miniature his countenance from Thorburn’s portrait of the prince in armor. That painting has been presented to the Queen as a birthday gift from Prince Albert that same year. She wrote in her journal on May 24, 1844 of Thorburn’s portrait:

“My beloved Albert is painted in armour, which I so much wished … I cannot say how beautiful it is, nor how exactly [it] portrays the dear original.”

The Prince Consort also cleverly incorporated into the bracelet the design of the collar of the Garter which had been made especially for Queen Victoria. Her Majesty was quite pleased with the bracelet and wrote in her journal on Christmas Eve that year:

“[Albert] took me to his room, where he gave me a most lovely bracelet, with his dear picture, also after Thorburn beautifully enamelled, set with a replica in small of the Collar of the Order of the Garter, in enamel work. It is his own exquisite taste & one of the loveliest things I ever saw. How I shall value it, & what extreme pleasure it gives. I put it on at once, & it was much admired.” 

By all accounts, the Queen really did favor the bracelet and wore it frequently. She is pictured wearing the piece in a watercolor by Carl Haag, “Evening at Balmoral Castle.”

"Evening at Balmoral Castle"
Carl Haag
Watercolor, 1854
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Mastery of Design: Queen Victoria’s Insignia of the Order of the Garter, 1840

Lesser George
Agate Cameo by Nathaniel Marchant
Setting of Gold and Diamonds
Early Nineteenth Century
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Created by Nathaniel Marchant (1739-1816), this “Lesser George” insignia of the Order of the Garter is a work of brown on gray agate, gold and diamonds. While Royal Family oral history states that this chivalric badge was once worn by King George IV, it’s important to note that it was not recorded in the inventory of the Royal Collection until the accession of George’s niece, Queen Victoria, in 1837.

The badge clearly predates Victoria’s reign and is thought to be one of two which were made for King George IV while he was either still Prince of Wales or Prince Regent, filling-in for his ailing father, King George III. The more informal of the two, this badge features a lovely cameo of St. George about to vanquish the dragon, signed by Marchant. It’s likely that the setting is later.

The 1837 record of the badge, being its first mention, states only that Queen Victoria asked that this “Lesser George” be removed from Windsor Castle for “the Queen’s use.” That same year, the badge was take to Rundells where it was altered or repaired. Victoria favored this badge and wore it often. She was painted wearing the piece several times—notably by Franz Zaver Winterhalter. 

Gifts of Grandeur: A Badge of the Order of The Garter, 1640

Insignia
Order of the garter
Lesser George
Gold and Enamel, 1640
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Yay! It’s an insignia of the Order of the Garter! I always like these. I like the garter stars most of all, but these little Georges are always a treat. The Order of the Garter was founded in 1348, on St. George’s Day, by King Edward III. It’s the oldest order of chivalry in Europe. It’s also Britain’s highest order and honor.

When granted the Order of the Garter, the individual is given a set of chivalric insignia. He’s set up with a Greater George (I’ll explain more below) for formal use, a Lesser George for everyday wear, and a star to wear on his cloak. These stars, at first, were embroidered with metallic thread, but, if you were special, yours could be a pin made of gold and diamonds.

By the time of Henry VIII, the badges were designed to be worn on a collar. Henry introduced the collar which consisted of 26 Tudor roses within blue garters, with an image of St George killing the dragon hanging by a gold tassel.

That particular image of George slaying the dragon is known as “The Greater George.” So, any garter badge with that depiction is known as such. The one that we see above is known as a “Lesser George.” This version would have been worn for more informal occasions. The Lesser George depicts St. George and the dragon, pre-kill, surrounded by a garter and the motto of the Order.

The twenty-six Tudor roses on the collar symbolize the twenty-six members of the order. The order consists only of twenty-six living members at a time. The collar was not to be set with precious stones. I’m not sure why, but that was the rule. The stars and other insignia could, however, be adorned with any sort of gems that were in fashion at the time.

While the example we see here is made of gold and enamel, other examples of the period are, in fact, set with gems. Greater Georges usually boasted more gems than their informal brothers, but every once in awhile, a Lesser George sparkled with diamonds and other gems. Charles I, for example, wore one set with over 400 diamonds. He wore it to his execution—as one does.

This particular Lesser George was once owned by Thomas Wentworth, who was knighted by King James I and created Earl of Strafford by Charles I in 1640. The Earl represented Yorkshire in Parliament and though he outwardly fought for more honesty and accountability in government, he was actually a rather nasty, greedy and ruthless bloke who made himself many enemies. He was tried for treason during the war with Scotland, and, executed. Presumably, unlike Charles I, he didn’t wear his insignia to the chopping block.

I should note that since being made in 1640, this insignia has, unavoidably, suffered some damage. At one time, George would have been holding a sword or a spear or some other sharp weapon which one might use to bother a dragon. That’s long gone and he’s just holding his little hand up—empty.

History's Runway: An Embroidered Garter Star, 1627-1700

Embroidered Garter Star
Edmund Harrison, 1627-1700
The Victoria & Albert Museum

We’ve looked at many jeweled garter stars, dripping with diamonds.  But, they weren’t always gem-encrusted.  Sometimes, especially on daily-worn uniforms, the star was an embroidered patch which was sewn onto the garment.  Well, look at that…here’s one which dates between 1627 and 1700.

This form of the Order of the Garter (the highest order of English knighthood) as a star was introduced by King Charles I (ruled 1625-1649) in 1627. The garter star was to be worn by Knights of the Garter, “upon the left part of their cloaks, coats and riding cassocks, at all times when they shall not wear their robes, and in all places and assemblies...a testimony to the World, of the honour they hold...the Order Instituted and Ordained for persons of the highest honour and greatest worth.”

I want one.  I’d settle for being granted an OBE.  Hint, hint, Buck House.

Embroidered badges like this, and, in fact, all ceremonial embroidery was carried out in professional workshops in London. One such workshop was run by one Edmund Harrison, who held the appointment of “King's Embroiderer.”  In 1633-1634, Harrison supplied 34 “rich orders set upon clokes [cloaks] and coates.” These varied in quality and materials.

One star that Harrison supplied to the Master of the Robes was “of blue velvet set with diamonds.”  And, thus, began the tradition of adding jewels to these stars.

We do not know to whom this star of the Order of the Garter belonged. Since being given to the V&A in the Nineteenth Century, it has been associated with a gift from Elizabeth of Bohemia (1596-1662), sister of Charles I. Such a badge can still be seen in place on the wedding suit of Charles's son James, later James II (ruled 1685-1688), which is also in the V&A.

Card of the Day: The Throne at Windsor Castle

Thrones, thrones, thrones. Lots of thrones. Lots of thrones, all in different places—all very similar looking. We continue our look at the 1935 Churchman Cigarette Card Jubilee Series with this image which is labeled “The Throne Chair Windsor Castle.” Well, that doesn’t tell me much. There are several thrones at Windsor Castle. This seems to be the only blue one. I can tell by the cipher that it was made for Edward III. So, that helps.


Let’s look at it. Yes, indeed, this chair was made for King Edward III in 1350 and is, technically, the Order of the Garter Throne. As best I can tell, it’s not in use, but it does remain at Windsor Castle. Edward III was born at Windsor Castle and spent a lot of time and money in expanding and redoing the place. This was part of his efforts. He was also the King who established the Order of the Garter. So, this throne was used in the Garter Throne Room which we see pictured below. Queen Elizabeth II uses a different throne in there today. The only photograph I can find of this chair comes from a photographer who has his work heavily copyrighted. I don’t want to irritate him by using his image without permission, so I’ll link to it in case you’re interested.

The Garter Throne Room as it is today.
Images from the Royal Collection.