Mastery of Design: Queen Mary’s Seal, 1896

Seal
Michael Perchin for Fabergé
1896The Royal Collection

This attractive seal by Michael Perchin of Fabergé was a gift to Queen Mary on the occasion of her birthday, May 26, 1935 and also for her Silver Jubilee on the throne from Prince and Princess Nicholas of Greece. The Prince and Princess were the parents of Princess Marina who would marry the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary and become the Duchess of Kent.

The seal’s unusual handle is formed of rutilated quartz-- rock crystal containing rutile, a mineral which occurs in columnar-shaped crystals. Queen Mary happily added this handsome item to her collection of Fabergé—a large grouping of objects which she kept in a series of vitrines.

Queen Mary adored her Fabergé collection. After the death of her husband, King George V, her Fabergé collection was one of the first things that she moved with her from Buckingham Palace to her new home at Marlborough house. When the danger of the Second World War forced the Queen Dowager to move from Marlborough House to Badminton House in the country she brought the collection with her, and when the war was over and the Queen set about rebuilding Marlborough House which had been badly bombed, she declared that the ruined house was looking “like home” again when her collection of Fabergé was in place. 

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

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Set of Five Platinum Eternity Bands or Guard Rings, 1920-40

Guard Rings
1920-1940
England
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Here, we see a set of five platinum guard rings set with diamonds, emeralds and rubies. Today, we’d refer to these rings as Eternity Bands and, they’re quite in fashion again. This set was made between 1920 and 1940.


These narrow rings are set with a continuous line of matching, single-color stones. Such rings initially became very fashionable during the 1930s. They were worn either next to or instead of a plain, gold or platinum wedding band. Of course, diamonds were the most popular choice, others were often set with emeralds, rubies or sapphires. One famous lover of such rings was Princess Marina, the Duchess of Kent. On her marriage in 1934 to Prince George, the Duke of Kent (son of George V and Mary of Teck), she selected three - one of rubies, one of diamonds and one of sapphires, the colors of the Union Jack.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Set of Five Platinum Eternity Bands or Guard Rings, 1920-40

Guard Rings
1920-1940
England
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Here, we see a set of five platinum guard rings set with diamonds, emeralds and rubies. Today, we’d refer to these rings as Eternity Bands and, they’re quite in fashion again. This set was made between 1920 and 1940.


These narrow rings are set with a continuous line of matching, single-color stones. Such rings initially became very fashionable during the 1930s. They were worn either next to or instead of a plain, gold or platinum wedding band. Of course, diamonds were the most popular choice, others were often set with emeralds, rubies or sapphires. One famous lover of such rings was Princess Marina, the Duchess of Kent. On her marriage in 1934 to Prince George, the Duke of Kent (son of George V and Mary of Teck), she selected three - one of rubies, one of diamonds and one of sapphires, the colors of the Union Jack.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Princess Marina’s Baby Dress, 1910

Dress
Embroidered Linen
Made for Princess Marina, 1910
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Though children’s fashions tended to be simpler in design than their adult counterparts, they were nonetheless well made. Clothing, overall, was made to last. Even in the early Twentieth Century, most families—even the wealthiest—didn’t have closets full of changes of clothes. Children’s clothes, especially, were constructed to be sturdy. However, great attention to detail was still paid because, in many cases, these articles were passed down from child to child—often for generations.

This beautiful dress of embroidered linen was made in 1910 for Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark (1906-1968). The Princess was the youngest of the three daughters of HRH Prince Nicholas of Greece and his wife Grand Duchess Elena of Russia. However, most people remember Princess Marina as the wife of the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary, Prince George (“Georgie” to his mother, the Queen), the Duke of Kent whom the Princess married in 1934. “Georgie” and Marina appeared to have a happy marriage though beneath the surface there was a lot going on that wasn’t known by the public. Together, they had one child, Prince Edward (now Duke of Kent). Princess Marina, even after the untimely death of the Duke of Kent in 1942, was quite popular with the people of Britain who admired her fashion sense—a trait, it seems, which she developed as a child. 

Mastery of Design: Queen Mary’s Seal, 1896

Seal
Michael Perchin for Fabergé
1896
The Royal Collection

This attractive seal by Michael Perchin of Fabergé was a gift to Queen Mary on the occasion of her birthday, May 26, 1935 and also for her Silver Jubilee on the throne from Prince and Princess Nicholas of Greece. The Prince and Princess were the parents of Princess Marina who would marry the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary and become the Duchess of Kent.

The seal’s unusual handle is formed of rutilated quartz-- rock crystal containing rutile, a mineral which occurs in columnar-shaped crystals. Queen Mary happily added this handsome item to her collection of Fabergé—a large grouping of objects which she kept in a series of vitrines.

Queen Mary adored her Fabergé collection. After the death of her husband, King George V, her Fabergé collection was one of the first things that she moved with her from Buckingham Palace to her new home at Marlborough house. When the danger of the Second World War forced the Queen Dowager to move from Marlborough House to Badminton House in the country she brought the collection with her, and when the war was over and the Queen set about rebuilding Marlborough House which had been badly bombed, she declared that the ruined house was looking “like home” again when her collection of Fabergé was in place. 

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

Gifts of Grandeur: A Set of Five Platinum Eternity Bands or Guard Rings, 1920-40

Guard Rings
1920-1940
England
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Here, we see a set of five platinum guard rings set with diamonds, emeralds and rubies. Today, we’d refer to these rings as Eternity Bands and, they’re quite in fashion again. This set was made between 1920 and 1940.


These narrow rings are set with a continuous line of matching, single-color stones. Such rings initially became very fashionable during the 1930s. They were worn either next to or instead of a plain, gold or platinum wedding band. Of course, diamonds were the most popular choice, others were often set with emeralds, rubies or sapphires. One famous lover of such rings was Princess Marina, the Duchess of Kent. On her marriage in 1934 to Prince George, the Duke of Kent (son of George V and Mary of Teck), she selected three - one of rubies, one of diamonds and one of sapphires, the colors of the Union Jack.

Card of the Day: H.R.H. The Duchess of Kent

The Duchess of Kent

The last foreign-born Princess to marry into the Royal Family, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark was known for her beauty and compassion. She married Prince George, the Duke of Kent, in 1934 and quickly became an involved member of the Royal Family—with the approval of Queen Mary, her mother-in-law.

Even after the early, tragic death of Prince George, the Duchess of Kent continued to actively pursue her Royal duties. She would often deputize for Queen Mary, and later, for Queen Elizabeth II. She would remain a bright light in the Royal Family until her 1968 death at Kensington Palace.

The Duchess of Kent posing
with a picture of her husband,
Prince George, Duke of Kent.
The Royal Collection

The Duchess of Kent is seen pictured in the ninth card by Godfrey & Phillips Cigarette Company. These cards were produced for the Silver Jubilee of the King and Queen in 1935.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Queen Mary’s Seal, 1896

Seal
Michael Perchin for Fabergé
1896
The Royal Collection

This attractive seal by Michael Perchin of Fabergé was a gift to Queen Mary on the occasion of her birthday, May 26, 1935 and also for her Silver Jubilee on the throne from Prince and Princess Nicholas of Greece. The Prince and Princess were the parents of Princess Marina who would marry the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary and become the Duchess of Kent.

The seal’s unusual handle is formed of rutilated quartz-- rock crystal containing rutile, a mineral which occurs in columnar-shaped crystals. Queen Mary happily added this handsome item to her collection of Fabergé—a large grouping of objects which she kept in a series of vitrines.

Queen Mary adored her Fabergé collection. After the death of her husband, King George V, her Fabergé collection was one of the first things that she moved with her from Buckingham Palace to her new home at Marlborough house. When the danger of the Second World War forced the Queen Dowager to move from Marlborough House to Badminton House in the country she brought the collection with her, and when the war was over and the Queen set about rebuilding Marlborough House which had been badly bombed, she declared that the ruined house was looking “like home” again when her collection of Fabergé was in place.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Princess Marina’s Baby Dress, 1910

Dress
Embroidered Linen
Made for Princess Marina, 1910
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Though children’s fashions tended to be simpler in design than their adult counterparts, they were nonetheless well made. Clothing, overall, was made to last. Even in the early Twentieth Century, most families—even the wealthiest—didn’t have closets full of changes of clothes. Children’s clothes, especially, were constructed to be sturdy. However, great attention to detail was still paid because, in many cases, these articles were passed down from child to child—often for generations.

This beautiful dress of embroidered linen was made in 1910 for Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark (1906-1968). The Princess was the youngest of the three daughters of HRH Prince Nicholas of Greece and his wife Grand Duchess Elena of Russia. However, most people remember Princess Marina as the wife of the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary, Prince George (“Georgie” to his mother, the Queen), the Duke of Kent whom the Princess married in 1934. “Georgie” and Marina appeared to have a happy marriage though beneath the surface there was a lot going on that wasn’t known by the public. Together, they had one child, Prince Edward (now Duke of Kent). Princess Marina, even after the untimely death of the Duke of Kent in 1942, was quite popular with the people of Britain who admired her fashion sense—a trait, it seems, which she developed as a child.