Mastery of Design: A Snuffbox Commemorating the 1911 Coronation

Snuffbox
1911
Garrard & Co.
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

From the archives of The Royal Collection, we have this important snuffbox of gold, enamel and diamonds by Sebastian Henry Garrard (of Garrard's, as one would guess).  The snuffbox, boasting watercolor on ivory portraits of King George V and Queen Mary, was made in 1911 expressly for the coronation.  

But, it gets better.  The piece was later engraved, on the inside of the gold lid, per Queen Mary's instructions and presented by Her majesty upon the day of the coronation of her son, "Bertie," (better known to us as King George VI) in 1937.  Following the whole "Abdication Kerfuffle" (TM), I'm sure Mary was relieved to have Bertie on the throne and happily presented this handsome present to her Number 2 son.  The 1937 engraving reads:

To 

King George VI. 

in remembrance of his Coronation, 

from his devoted Mother, 

Mary R. 

May 12th 1937.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The hinged, oval, gold and enamel box features a lid inset with glazed oval miniatures of Their Majesties, framed with rose cut diamonds, surmounted by a diamond and enamel crown, and with a diamond-set monogram below.  Queen Mary is depicted in a white gown with Garter, and her favorite pearls.  George V is shown, facing slight left in his uniform, Garter and assorted medals and orders.

Each side of the box is dazzling as the sides are alive with blue enamel with borders of white and green foliage and flower-heads.  The reverse, or underside, shows masterful engine turning applied with a silver and enamel Garter star. 

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Mastery of Design: A French Gold and Diamond "Aide-Mémoire," 19th C.

Notebook
French, Nineteenth Century
The Hull-Grundy Gift to
The British Museum

Known as an "aide-mémoire", this notebook with hinged covers of blue enamel on a guilloche ground is decorated with applied four-color gold trophies of gardening implements on one side and doves, and bows and arrows on the other. 

Each trophy is entwined with a gold ribbon and an inscription in rose diamonds set in silver.

The piece is clasped with a sliding gold pencil.  The interior sports three ivory leaves, each containing writing in French from its original Nineteenth Century owner.  

Gifts of Grandeur: King George V's Tortoiseshell Box, c. 1910

Box of Tortoiseshell, silver gilt and a rose-cut diamond.
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

When we think about the Royal Collection, especially from the period after the reign of Edward VII, those familiar with the provenance of most of the pieces therein, immediately think of Queen Mary, the ultimate collector.  However, Mary wasn't the only crowned head from 1910-1936 with an eye for attractive objects.  Her husband, King George V also had a knack for collecting handsome antiquities, treasures, and contemporary works.

This masculine box of tortoiseshell, gilt silver and a single rose-cut diamond dates to the early Twentieth Century and was made specifically for His Majesty George V and fits perfectly with his personal collection of simple, elegant pieces.  The polished lid is rimmed with gilt mounts set with a relief of berried laurels.  When the lid is removed, the gilded interior shows an engraved, crowned cypher--GVR.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Fabergé Border Terrier, 1907-1908

Border Terrier of Agate and Rose Diamonds
1907-1908, part of the Sandringham Commission
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

This Fabergé figure is part of King Edward VII’s Sandringham Commission which ordered the creation of a menagerie of animals made of gold and precious stones for Queen Alexandra. The animals depicted in these figures reflected the many which lived at Sandringham House.

Made between 1907 and 1908, this sculpture of agate is set with rose-cut diamonds, and depicts a Border terrier. Border Terriers were just one of the many breeds kept in the kennels at Sandringham. The sculptor, now unknown, has done an excellent job capturing the playful character and inquisitive nature of the dog.  

Mastery of Design: The Townshend Canary Diamond, 1800-1869

Click image to enlarge
The Townshend Canary Diamond
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Here’s another jewel from the important collection of the Reverend Chauncy Hare Townshend who donated his fine assortment of 154 gems to the V&A. This stone, like the others in the collection, has been mounted as ring—not for wear, but simply to display the stone. This is a truly fine specimen of a canary diamond. The yellow sparkler has been set into a gold ring and is surrounded by eight rose-cut diamonds of equally exquisite quality. 

The exceptional suite of diamonds from the Townshend Collection.

Mastery of Design: The Dreyfous Rose, Circa 1900

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
via The Royal Collection Trust
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Click on image to enlarge.

Created by Dreyfous, a London jeweler once located at 128 Mount Street, this glittering masterpiece came into the Royal Collection by now unknown means.  Given their collecting habits and tastes, it's a safe bet that this figure of a lilac-pink rose was acquired by either Queen Mary, consort of King George V,  or her mother-in-law Queen Alexandra. 

The piece, made around 1900, depicts a three-dimensional rose and bud in yellow gold, and opaque enamels in graduated pinks, greens and yellows.  The enameled leaves are set with rose-cut diamond dew drops and the bloom is permanently presented in a handsome rock crystal vase.

Mastery of Design: A Warriors’ “Bravery” Brooch of Diamonds, 1750

Brooch
Rose-cut Diamonds Set in Silver
Western Europe, 1750
Given as a trophy.
Victoria & Albert Museum

Extravagant diamond pieces were not reserved exclusively for ladies prior to the Nineteenth Century. Men often wore opulent jewels not only as adornment, but also as symbols of their station. Going into the Nineteenth Century, Royal gentlemen (such as Prince Albert) continued to wear gemstone badges and brooches, but the practice fell out of favor with people not associated with royalty. Pity.


This diamond brooch from 1750 is a good example of a gentleman’s piece of jewelry. Made in Western Europe, the brooch contains dozens of large rose-cut diamonds set in silver. The design is based on military weapons—a canon, pistol, arrows, axe, flag and plumed helmet. Such a piece was given to a man as a symbol of his bravery and as a trophy of battle. He would wear it proudly to remind himself and others of his accomplishments.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Hull-Grundy Hair Ornament

Hair Ornament
c. 1760
This and all relayed images from The British Musuem

Another jewel from The British Museum's Hull-Grundy Gift, this hair ornament is made in the form of a floral spray with leaves of chased silver and gold settings for the foiled rose-cut diamonds.  Four pear-shaped pendant drop diamonds and two baroque pearls join the four diamond drops.

The ornament was made in Russia, circa 1760 and shows the Eighteenth Century taste for asymmetrical aigrettes in the Rococo fashion.  The style was especially popular in Russia and Italy, adapted from a Spanish style which relied heavily on shimmering pendant drops.  

A brooch set with emeralds from the same time period and place of creation is frequently associated with this hair ornament.  

Mastery of Design: Queen Alexandra's Fabergé Pekingese, c. 1907

Pekingese
Carl Fabergé
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
via The Royal Collection Trust
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Another precious animal from Queen Alexandra's farm in miniature, The 1907 Sandringham Commission, this creation of agate and rose-cute diamonds is the work of Carl Fabergé.  

Her Majesty Queen Alexandra was especially fond of smaller breeds of such as the Pekingese, Japanese Chins (known at the time as Japanese spaniels), Tibetan spaniels and papillons. She often traveled with these small dogs who accompanied her from royal residence to royal residence and even went with her abroad.  

The Empress of Japan, in April of 1905, made a gift of four pairs of Pekingese dogs to Queen Alexandra.  However, tragically, only one of the little pups survived the grueling journey from Japan to England.  This Pekingese joined another already in residence with Queen Alexandra and quickly became two of her favorite dogs.  They were called Little Marvel and Little Togo.

This is one or the other of them.  

A 1909 ledger of Fabergé's London branch reveals that a model of a Japanese spaniel called Togo was commissioned however, that's not this one since: 1. the date is wrong, 2. that particular model was in white chalcedony with two rubies for a cost of £29, and 3. and seems to have been made for a French duc.  

I don't know why that last bit was important, but The Royal Collection made rather a  big deal about it, so I figured I'd share it, too.

Gifts of Grandeur: A Fabergé Pig, 1907

Piggy
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Part of the Sandringham Commission of 1907, this little piggy didn’t go to market, but rather to the Queen. This was one of many wee animals which King Edward VII commissioned from Fabergé. Many of the miniatures depicted the Royal pets and the animals which lived on the farm at the Sandringham estate. Queen Alexandra collected them with much delight. Of the many precious pigs in the lot, this one’s my favorite. 

Carved from agate, the pig lies on its side, looking at us with rose-cut diamond eyes. 

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Mastery if Design: A French Gold and Diamond "Aide-Mémoire," 19th C.

Notebook
French, Nineteenth Century
The Hull-Grundy Gift to
The British Museum

Known as an "aide-mémoire", this notebook with hinged covers of blue enamel on a guilloche ground is decorated with applied four-color gold trophies of gardening implements on one side and doves, and bows and arrows on the other. 

Each trophy is entwined with a gold ribbon and an inscription in rose diamonds set in silver.

The piece is clasped with a sliding gold pencil.  The interior sports three ivory leaves, each containing writing in French from its original Nineteenth Century owner.  

Mastery of Design: The Hull-Grundy Hair Ornament

Hair Ornament
c. 1760
This and all relayed images from The British Musuem

Another jewel from The British Museum's Hull-Grundy Gift, this hair ornament is made in the form of a floral spray with leaves of chased silver and gold settings for the foiled rose-cut diamonds.  Four pear-shaped pendant drop diamonds and two baroque pearls join the four diamond drops.

The ornament was made in Russia, circa 1760 and shows the Eighteenth Century taste for asymmetrical aigrettes in the Rococo fashion.  The style was especially popular in Russia and Italy, adapted from a Spanish style which relied heavily on shimmering pendant drops.  

A brooch set with emeralds from the same time period and place of creation is frequently associated with this hair ornament.  

Mastery of Design: The Rhodonite and Rose Diamond Cigarette Case, 1911

Rhodonite, Gold and Rose-Cut Diamond Cigarette Case
Presented to King George V, 1911
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Fabergé's Henrik Emanuel Wigström (1862-1923), created this handsome cigarette case of rhodonite, gold, and rose diamonds in 1911.  

The Grand Duke Michael of Russia purchased this case from Fabergé's London branch on 6 July 1911 at the cost of £64).  July 6 was the wedding anniversary of  King George V and Queen Mary whose coronation was in 1911.  The Grand Duke presented the King and Queen with this case to mark the anniversary.  George V proudly displayed this magnificent piece with his important collection of cigarette cases and snuffboxes.

The rounded rectangular case of rhodenite boasts gold hinges and silver mounts. Pierced diamond-set strapwork mounts flank the silver thumbpiece which has been set with a large rose diamond.

Mastery of Design: A Snuffbox Commemorating the 1911 Coronation

Snuffbox
1911
Garrard & Co.
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

As you all know, I peruse the archives of the Royal Collection each day(usually around 2:00 AM) in search of new additions as the vast treasures within are newly photographed and displayed for the public.  

I'm quite thrilled, on this, the (day after the) anniversary of the 1911 coronation, to have found, newly added to the archives of The Royal Collection, this important snuffbox of gold, enamel and diamonds by Sebastian Henry Garrard (of Garrard's, as one would guess).  The snuffbox, boasting watercolor on ivory portraits of King George V and Queen Mary, was made in 1911 expressly for the coronation.  

But, it gets better.  The piece was later engraved, on the inside of the gold lid, per Queen Mary's instructions and presented by Her majesty upon the day of the coronation of her son, "Bertie," (better known to us as King George VI) in 1937.  Following the whole "Abdication Kerfuffle" (TM), I'm sure Mary was relieved to have Bertie on the throne and happily presented this handsome present to her Number 2 son.  The 1937 engraving reads:

To 

King George VI. 

in remembrance of his Coronation, 

from his devoted Mother, 

Mary R. 

May 12th 1937.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The hinged, oval, gold and enamel box features a lid inset with glazed oval miniatures of Their Majesties, framed with rose cut diamonds, surmounted by a diamond and enamel crown, and with a diamond-set monogram below.  Queen Mary is depicted in a white gown with Garter, and her favorite pearls.  George V is shown, facing slight left in his uniform, Garter and assorted medals and orders.

Each side of the box is dazzling as the sides are alive with blue enamel with borders of white and green foliage and flower-heads.  The reverse, or underside, shows masterful engine turning applied with a silver and enamel Garter star. 

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

So, yay for this!  I was glad to find it!

And, thus, we begin another week.  See you all here tomorrow for some new stuff, the next chapter of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, and a "Treat of the Week."

Gifts of Grandeur: King George V's Tortoiseshell Box, c. 1910

Box of Tortoiseshell, silver gilt and a rose-cut diamond.
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

When we think about the Royal Collection, especially from the period after the reign of Edward VII, those familiar with the provenance of most of the pieces therein, immediately think of Queen Mary, the ultimate collector.  However, Mary wasn't the only crowned head from 1910-1936 with an eye for attractive objects.  Her husband, King George V also had a knack for collecting handsome antiquities, treasures, and contemporary works.

This masculine box of tortoiseshell, gilt silver and a single rose-cut diamond dates to the early Twentieth Century and was made specifically for His Majesty George V and fits perfectly with his personal collection of simple, elegant pieces.  The polished lid is rimmed with gilt mounts set with a relief of berried laurels.  When the lid is removed, the gilded interior shows an engraved, crowned cypher--GVR.

Mastery of Design: The Fabergé Border Terrier, 1907-1908

Border Terrier of Agate and Rose Diamonds
1907-1908, part of the Sandringham Commission
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

This Fabergé figure is part of King Edward VII’s Sandringham Commission which ordered the creation of a menagerie of animals made of gold and precious stones for Queen Alexandra. The animals depicted in these figures reflected the many which lived at Sandringham House.

Made between 1907 and 1908, this sculpture of agate is set with rose-cut diamonds, and depicts a Border terrier. Border Terriers were just one of the many breeds kept in the kennels at Sandringham. The sculptor, now unknown, has done an excellent job capturing the playful character and inquisitive nature of the dog.  

Mastery of Design: A Warriors’ “Bravery” Brooch of Diamonds, 1750

Brooch
Rose-cut Diamonds Set in Silver
Western Europe, 1750
Given as a trophy.
Victoria & Albert Museum

Extravagant diamond pieces were not reserved exclusively for ladies prior to the Nineteenth Century. Men often wore opulent jewels not only as adornment, but also as symbols of their station. Going into the Nineteenth Century, Royal gentlemen (such as Prince Albert) continued to wear gemstone badges and brooches, but the practice fell out of favor with people not associated with royalty. Pity.


This diamond brooch from 1750 is a good example of a gentleman’s piece of jewelry. Made in Western Europe, the brooch contains dozens of large rose-cut diamonds set in silver. The design is based on military weapons—a canon, pistol, arrows, axe, flag and plumed helmet. Such a piece was given to a man as a symbol of his bravery and as a trophy of battle. He would wear it proudly to remind himself and others of his accomplishments.

Gifts of Grandeur: A Fabergé Pig, 1907

Piggy
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Part of the Sandringham Commission of 1907, this little piggy didn’t go to market, but rather to the Queen. This was one of many wee animals which King Edward VII commissioned from Fabergé. Many of the miniatures depicted the Royal pets and the animals which lived on the farm at the Sandringham estate. Queen Alexandra collected them with much delight. Of the many precious pigs in the lot, this one’s my favorite. 

Carved from agate, the pig lies on its side, looking at us with rose-cut diamond eyes. 

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Mastery of Design: The Fabergé Dove, 1908

Dove
Part of the Sandringham Commission, 1907-1908
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Another from the Royal Collection’s Fabergé menagerie, this dove is crafted of heavenly chalcedony. It was part of the great 1907 Sandringham Commission ordered by King Edward VII to keep Queen Alexandra properly amused. The fantail dove sits upon chased gold legs and looks at us peacefully through rose-cut diamond eyes.

Mastery of Design: Cameo portrait of Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII)

Cameo Portrait of Edward, Prince of Wales
Henrik Wigstrom, 1911
Commissioned by King George V for Queen Mary
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Made by Fabergé workmaster Henrik Emanuel Wigström (1862-1923), this cameo dates to 1911—the year of the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary. Carved into smoky quartz and set into a gold frame mounted with rose-cut diamonds, this cameo depicts Edward, Prince of Wales who would later be briefly known as King Edward VII (prior to the whole Abdication Kerfuffle), and then, as the Duke of Windsor.

The cameo was commissioned by King George V who gave the portrait to Queen Mary for her birthday, May 26, 1912. The piece was to commemorate the investiture of Prince Edward as Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester on July 13, 1911 (it was also his sixteenth birthday). King George V asked that his eldest son be depicted wearing the mantle that he donned for his investiture. 

The Royal Collection

We have some nifty things at our online store. For example, we’ve got designs which commemorate another event in the life of the Duke of Windsor…his controversial abdication.