On November 13, 2024, Sotheby’s will hold a prestigious sale featuring treasures of exceptional provenance. Among the highlights will be a rare 18th-century necklace belonging to the Marquises of Anglesey. The sale will also include an impressive collection assembled by Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria, as well as jewels from the collections of Countess Mona Bismarck, King Umberto II, the Ducal House of Bavaria and the Thurn und Taxis family.
A rare 18th-century diamond necklace
This 18th-century necklace of 500 diamonds from the Golconde mines in India is composed of three rows of diamonds terminated by two pampilles at each end. From a private collection, it is estimated at between $1.8 and $2.8 million. (See full article on the necklace)
Very few 18th-century jewels have survived. As fashions changed, they were frequently dismantled, their gemstones reused and adapted to new designs. The preservation of this necklace is therefore a true miracle, all the more so as it is adorned with almost 500 diamonds with a total weight of around 300 carats, a fortune that only royalty and the wealthiest members of the nobility could afford at the time. The period of manufacture of this jewel suggests that the diamonds probably came from India, from the famous Golconde mines.
It was the centerpiece of the collection of the Pagets, Marquesses of Anglesey. In the 20th century, it was worn at the coronations of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II. Sir Cecil Beaton photographed the Anglesey necklace, as it was then called, worn casually by Marjorie Paget, Marquess of Anglesey, in the 1930s. In his diary, British Conservative politician, author and high society figure Sir Henry “Chips” Channon recalls part of Queen Marie-Antoinette’s infamous necklace, which he attributes to the Dukes of Sutherland. He notes, “At least two rows of this necklace are still present, the rest, according to legend, having been destroyed before the French Revolution, but I believe the Anglesey tassels, which Marjorie sometimes wears, are part of it.”
Unfortunately, there are no details as to how the negligee came into the possession of the Anglesey family. However, it is known to have survived the famous Anglesey auctions, held after the fifth marquis went bankrupt in 1904. The latter, nicknamed the “Dancing Marquis”, had spent most of his fortune on jewels, extravagant clothes and spectacular theatrical productions. Only the jewels and family portraits were saved.
A Tsar's Treasure : Ferdinand of Bulgaria
On October 5, 1908, Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who had become Sovereign Prince of Bulgaria in 1887, was proclaimed Tsar. After 480 years of Ottoman domination, Bulgaria finally gained full independence.
The new tsar led a relatively modest life, far removed from that of his royal cousins: Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria in Vienna, King Edward VII of England in London or King Alfonso XIII of Spain in Madrid. However, in one very particular area, Ferdinand of Bulgaria could rival all the crowned heads of Europe: jewelry. He was a passionate collector. Although Bulgaria was not a particularly wealthy country at the time, Prince Ferdinand and his family had a large fortune at their disposal, enabling them to indulge their passion for jewelry.
Jewels of the Ducal House of Bavaria
The collection traces the history of the Bavarian royal family throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, with pieces from all the major royal figures of the era, including Queens Theresa and Marie of Bavaria, King Ludwig II of Bavaria, King Otto of Greece, Prince Regent Luitpold, and Carl Theodor. The heart of the collection is made up of family memorabilia from the main line, inherited by Princess Helmtrud of Bavaria (1886-1977), seventh daughter of the last Bavarian king Ludwig III. Notable pieces include a pretty turquoise and pearl necklace, and a diamond wheat ear tiara from the early 19th century.
