Mastery of Design: The Parisian Basket of Flowers Brooch, 1890

Floral Brooch
French, c. 1890
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This Parisian brooch of platinum, gold, enamel, rose-cut diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires was made in 1890 and is a nod to the Eighteenth Century fashion for “giardinetti” or jewels in the shape of flowers, meaning literally, little gardens. 

During this part of the Nineteenth Century, the style for jewels was largely naturalistic, drawing inspiration from arrangements of flowers, sometimes peppered with insects. Usually, these creations were thick with densely-set diamonds, but this one is more colorful, reminding us of the sparkling gems of the Rococo period. 

Sunday Morning Special: European Royal Jewels and Tiaras

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

This handsome tour shows some of the most beautiful jewels ever made for the Crowned Heads of Europe.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Fabergé Basket of Flowers Egg

Basket of Flowers Egg
Russia, 1901
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Made in 1901, this work of parcel gilt silver, gold, oyster guilloché and blue enamel, and diamonds is an Imperial Easter egg by Carl Fabergé. The masterpiece is basket-shaped with a rose diamond trellis and an oval handle adorned with four bows. The egg contains wild flowers (pansies, cornflowers, daisies, mock orange), leaves and oat husks of enamel on gold.

When originally made, the egg was entirely enameled in white, however, due to damage sustained in the aftermath of the revolution (when this as well as most of the Tsar’s treasures, was confiscated by the provisional government in 1917), the base was re-enameled in blue.

Queen Mary (1867-1953), Consort of King George V, acquired the egg in 1933. It is possible that the re-enameling took place prior to Her Majesty’s acquisition or, perhaps, it her request since the color of the enamel is one that was favored by the Queen.

The Home Beautiful: Vase Hollandois Nouvelle Forme

The Vases Hollandois
French, 1761
Purchased for King George IV for Carlton House
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

A creation of the Sèvres Porcelain Factory, dating to 1761, this pair of soft-paste porcelain vases boast a petit verd ground and gilded decoration.

The pair were urchased in Paris for George IV by François Benois at a cost of £80. They were meant to be used in the now long-demolished Carlton House, George IV’s monumentally elegant palace.

When the contents of Carlton House were removed before it was pulled down, all of its contents were inventoried. According to the Royal Collection, the pair was described in the ledgers thusly:

No 10. Two Flower Vases in 4 Parts, Painted Figures & Flowers, Turquoise Blue Ground & Gold Remarks: Delivered to Mr Watier April 24th 1829 to be placed in the Store Room at St James’s Cost £80’. 

After languishing in storage for many years, Queen Victoria had the pair moved to Buckingham Palace where they remain to this day.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square will Continue on Monday

For weeks now, we've seen Ellen start to develop some odd quirks.  Sure, it was easy to dismiss her behavior by saying that she was overcome with anxiety about her brother, Roger's, mental health.  Otherwise, aside from some spats with Charles, she seemed to be a nice young lady.  The governess was bonding with Gamilla and was supportive of the Duke/Mr. Punch.  Still, Robert always had his doubts about Miss Barrett, and Charles--well, he certainly did.


Now, we know what Ellen's all about.  It all began when Ellen clearly faked a fever.  Then, she started rummaging through the late Duchess of Fallbridge's old diaries.  But, yesterday, we discovered the reason why!


Ellen is the illegitimate child of the Duchess of Fallbridge (the Duke's mother) and Grange Molliner's groundskeeper, Johnny Donnan.  That makes Ellen Mr. Punch's half-sister as well as the half-sister of Finlay--the grange's footman.  


And, it doesn't end there.  Ellen was the one who poisoned the Duke/Mr. Punch and...and...Ellen is the one who killed William Stover and tried to frame Robert!


Clearly out to make the Duke suffer, Ellen has a wicked scheme.  Aided by Finlay, this week, Ellen's plan begins to take on a new form.  As Punch and Robert plan the Servants' Ball, everyone at the Grange is in danger.


You won't want to miss a chapter!


Now would be a good time to catch up on any chapters you didn't read.  They're all available in the Chapter Archive along with a short summary of each.


See you next week!  You're going to be surprised!

Masterpiece of the Week: Charlotte, Princess Royal and Prince William, later Duke of Clarence

Charlotte, Princess Royal and Prince William
Johann Zoffany, circa 1770
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Queen Elizabeth II

Painted for King George III and his Consort, Queen Charlotte, this painting is the work of Johan Zoffany (1733-1810) and depicts Charlotte, the Princess Royal and Prince William (later, the Duke of Clarence and later King William IV)—two of their children.

This portrait is one of a pair depicting the four eldest children of George III. The other depicts Prince George (later King George IV) and Prince Frederick. The paintings were clearly created to be viewed from a low point-of-view, looking up. They were once displayed above twin doorways in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace in 1841. According to the Royal Collection, “prior to this however they seemed to have moved around, without an obvious home.” So, it’s hard to say for where they were originally intended. 

Zoffany has created a scene with his usual sense of humor wherein the children and their dog seem to have climbed into a theatrical architectural setting. Their mischievous expression belies the grandeur of the setting and the seriousness of the drapery and floral arrangement.

Object of the Day: A Trade Card for the Great Eastern Tea Co.

Click above image to enlarge.

From my collection of ephemera, we have another trade card. This American card advertises for the San Francisco-based Great Eastern Tea Co. as well as their Colima Baking Powder.

The front of the card is alive with a depiction of a colorful basket of flowers. Being a stock card, it also features a spot on the front (in the form of a card on the basket) wherein the advertiser could have put additional information. The Great Eastern Tea Company seems to have declined to do this. Sadly, the back is mostly unreadable as it has been glued into an album and, then, removed, leaving parts of the page behind. I’m not going to try to recreate it as I usually do, but instead, let you try to read it on your own.