Item number: G20

Year: AD 1840

The results after XRF testing (Brooch)

The results after XRF testing (Bracelet)

Material: Brooch 20ct Gold / Bracelet 21ct Gold

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. Christies 2006

This set of gold demi-parure, once belonging to Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, consists of a pair of earrings, a brooch, and a bracelet, all housed in a brown leather case lined with blue velvet. The items were released by the British royal family in AD 2006 and are accompanied by a certificate from Kensington Palace as well as a royal wax seal, attesting to their provenance.

According to the auction house’s description, this demi-parure set dates to approximately AD 1840, during the early Victorian period. The pieces share a consistent design motif, characterised by twisted rope-like patterns and tassells adorned with two pendants in the shape of crowns, reflecting the intricate craftsmanship and stylistic elements of the era.

Based on existing photographic evidence, it can be observed that Princess Margaret wore the brooch while attending a Rolling Stones concert during the 1960s. Additionally, in a AD 1978 portrait captured by renowned British fashion photographer Norman Parkinson, Margaret is depicted wearing the earrings from this jewelry collection, adding a touch of timeless elegance to the image.

Princess Margaret was born on August 21, AD 1930, four years after her elder sister, Elizabeth, who would later become Queen Elizabeth II. As the second daughter of King George VI, Margaret was initially second in line to the throne. However, with the birth of Elizabeth’s children, Margaret’s position in the line of succession gradually became more distant.

Princess Margaret was renowned within the British royal family for her bold and avant-garde sense of style, earning her a reputation as a trendsetter in British fashion. However, her love life was marked by misfortune. Margaret fell in love with Peter Townsend, a former Royal Air Force pilot and equerry to her father, King George VI. Townsend was 16 years her senior and married with two children. Even after his divorce in AD 1953 and subsequent proposal to Margaret, their union faced strong opposition from the Church of England, then-Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and the royal establishment. With her sister Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation approaching, Margaret felt compelled to relinquish her relationship with Townsend, who was subsequently posted to Belgium as a military attaché.

In AD 1960, Margaret entered a whirlwind marriage with photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones. However, their marriage was fraught with infidelity on both sides and ultimately ended in divorce in AD 1978.

Due to the health complications caused by years of smoking, Princess Margaret passed away on February 9, AD 2002, from heart problems following a stroke. Shortly thereafter, on March 30, the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, also passed away at the Royal Lodge. These events dealt a heavy emotional blow to Queen Elizabeth II, who lost both her sister and mother within the span of weeks.

During her lifetime, Margaret expressed a wish to be laid to rest alongside her father, King George VI. However, the burial chamber at St George’s Chapel was designated only for King George VI and his wife, with space reserved for Queen Elizabeth II and her husband. As a result, Margaret chose cremation, diverging from the traditional royal custom of burial. Her ashes were interred alongside her parents, placed in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, with her ashes accompanying her mother’s coffin.

物件編號: G20

年代: 公元 1840 年

胸針XRF分析結果:

手鐲XRF分析結果:

材質: 胸針 20ct 金 / 手鐲 21ct 金

來源:

1.諾南斯 2022

2. 佳士得 2006

這是曾經屬於英國女王伊莉莎白二世胞妹，瑪格麗特公主的金飾組，總共有一對耳墜、胸針和一副手鐲放置於棕褐色皮革的藍絲絨收納盒內。這一組物件是公元2006年，由英國王室釋出並且有一份肯辛頓宮的證書和王室蠟印。這些飾品根據拍賣行的描述，大概是公元1840年左右維多利亞初期製作。飾品擁有共同的設計風格，即麻花螺旋外觀和尾端有兩粒懸掛的王冠流蘇裝飾。

根據現存保留的照片，能看到瑪格麗特在公元1960年代的滾石樂隊音樂會上配戴胸針出席。另外一張公元1978年，英國時尚攝影師諾曼·帕金森掌鏡的人物特寫中，瑪格麗特穿戴這組飾品中的耳墜入鏡。

瑪格麗特出生於公元1930年8月21日，和日後將成為女王的姐姐伊莉莎白二世相差四歲。作為喬治六世的次女，瑪格麗特原先是王位的第二順位繼承人，但是隨著伊莉莎白二世的孩子陸續出生，瑪格麗特跟王位的繼承便逐漸疏遠。

瑪格麗特在英國王室中，以大膽和前衛的穿著出名，使她成為英國時尚界的指標性人物。然而相較於時尚界的光鮮亮麗，瑪格麗特在情場上面是命運多舛。瑪格麗特先是愛上父親喬治六世的侍從官，前皇家空軍飛行員彼得·湯森。然而彼得·湯森比瑪格麗特年長16歲，並且已經結婚擁有兩個小孩。即便公元1953年，彼得·湯森和元配離婚後向瑪格麗特提出求婚。但是面臨英國國教教會乃至時任首相邱吉爾的極力反對，以及姐姐伊莉莎白二世的加冕大典在即，瑪格麗特被迫做出退讓，且彼得·湯森也被調至比利時擔任駐外武官。公元1960年，瑪格麗特和攝影師安東尼·阿姆斯壯-瓊斯閃電結婚，但是兩人在婚姻中先後爆出婚外情，最終於公元1978年離婚。

由於長期抽菸帶來的健康負荷，公元2002年2月9日，瑪格麗特因為中風帶來的心臟問題在醫院逝世。稍晚的3月30日，伊莉莎白王太后也於皇家莊園逝世。這對於擔任女王的伊莉莎白二世是個沉重的打擊。瑪格麗特在生前希望能跟父親喬治六世同葬，然而墓室卻僅保留喬治六世夫婦和預留給伊莉莎白二世夫婦的空間，為此瑪格麗特選擇以火葬而非王族習慣的土葬，其骨灰隨同母親的棺木陪伴父親喬治六世長眠。