Empress Eugénie’s Personal Jewels | A floral brooch of naturalistic design

THE EMPRESS EUGENIE’S JEWELS 1872

The jewels are now for sale in London, „The Times“ and other newspapers of the time, gives the following description of them:

Kabinet-Tropfenbrosche-orchideen-knospeThe lot covered a table of 2,5 x 3,5 ft full and then as cases were opened they were piled up in rather a recklass manner in heaps on this already covered table.
There were
– a wonderfully light Diamond brooch, representing the flower of an orchid, with long pendants leaves and drops >>

orchid sketch with leaves - 1850
orchid sketch with leaves – 1850

– A butterfly, the body beeing a large opal about 2 inch long and the wings set upon springs and made in diamonds, rubies and emeralds.
– An Emerald Cross >> quite unique, the emerald beeing oblong and set edge to egde, nothing between, and about six in the long part of the cross and one each side of the centre, to form the arm; this was about four inches long.
The famous cross, suspended from a pearl necklace, and represented in Winterhalters portrait, is composed of emeralds of the finest colour and purity, while the pearls all match each other m size, shape, and tint.
– There was a wonderful necklace of black pearls, the only one in existince, each being as large as a marrow-fat pea and diamond snap, it took years to collect it.

– The three pearl and diamond fringe pendant brooch composed of large stones

Imperatrice Eugenie Broche rubis perles et diamants

–  Pink pearl necklaces.

– Two ear-rings of diamonds, the purest but each end like a drop of water and hung pendant and swinging from the small end, wonderful pair the stones mutch so well, but they must have been cut away

terribly to assume the present shape.
-Several ear-rings, all large diamonds, six diamond rings- one a superb one worth £ 400.
ear-tops, composed of immense single brilliants, were a present from the Emperor:
– a bracelet large with  fine rubies and diamonds.
– a watch and chateline the back jewelled in diamonds and colored precious stones  a marvellous piece of setting.

two large anchors of diamonds, about 5inch long,  brooches one beeing the large diamond anchors worn as shoulder ornaments by the Empress as patronesa of the French fleet and procured specially for the imperial visit to Cherbourg, later in the possession of the Duchess of Newcastle.

– a head ornament of diamonds worked into the form of an olive wreath, with black beads introduced in it at regular intervals. The olive branch told its own story of peace, and the sombre beads with which the glittering brilliants were relieved were meant to express sorrow tor the soldiers who had fallen.  The workmanship is exquisite, and the stones are of the first water. This magnificent ornnicent is valued at several thousands of pounds It would be superfluous to pass eulogium upon the beauty or quality of the jewels
– Another splendid head ornament is composed of wheatears in diamonds, with a centre of corn flowers and grass also in diamonds, which were capable of being detached, and were oftener worn separately as dress ornaments than in their collected form.

– a head ornament – diamond rose leaves with full-sized rose and buds in centre, purchased in the London exibition of 1862.

-a bracelet with a large sapphire in splendid quality and color, set round with in large brillants on an elastic band of large diamonds.

A sapphire and diamond necklace of rare large sapphires with large brillants interventing, with pearls attached to it, each pearl weighing some hundred grains.

An aigrette of diamonds, emeralds and pearls arranged in oriental fashion presented by the Sultan, makes the exquisite head ornament of English make, bought at the Exhibiton of 1842. .

A Bracelet composed of maní coloured stones, which is said to have been presented by the Viceroy of Egypt.

The Empress of Russia is understood to have puchased the celebrated suit of rubies and ist is known that there are many articeles of enormous value still at Chistlehurst, which will be disposed of when a purchaser can be found.

Later in the year, Messrs, Christie, Mansen and Woods put up to auction at their rooms, on June 24 a lot of valubable jewels, which thought  were generally understood to be the property  of of the Empress Eugenie:

The first article which attreated attention was Lot 49 a marquise ring, with a pink diamond, surrounded by brilliants, formerly the property of the Empress Josephina. This was followed by a pendant of emeralds, pearls and brillants. wich was knocked down for 605 guineas. And other jewelry with emeralds, in detail emeralds and the history>>

A cross formed of eleven large brilliants fetched 855 guineas;
A pearl necklace composed of 41 large pearls £2400
The 2 anchors – see above- are sold for £2150
A Tiara £2635
The brilliant Tiara formed as a group of leaves – see above- £970
A brilliant tiara formed of a band of brilliants for 780 guineas; in total 123 lots realised upwards of £ 50000 $400000

Le 24 juin 1872 à Londre le vente
« une partie des magnifiques bijoux d’un personnage distingué » d’une grande partie de l’écrin privé de l’ex impératrice Eugénie.

Les 123 lots bijoux :
du style végétal « une superbe broche composé d’un bouton de rose et feuillages entièrement en brillants »

les émeraudes « une grande broche, splendide, avec émeraude centrale entourée de très beaux brillants, avec pendentif d’une émeraude en poire et brillants »

les joyaux représentatifs du style Louis XVI « une broche en nœud de rubans et brillants»

«un magnifique diadème de brillant, formant un ensemble de feuillages »

Empress Eugenie’s Personal Jewels

Empress Eugenies Lilac Spray Brooches | Mellerio Flieder Brosche

Ruby-Necklace of Empress Eugenie | Rubin-Diamant-Perlen Collier der Kaiserin Eugenie

Imperial Marguerites of Diamond for the Empress of France | Margeriten aus Diamanten für die Blumenliebhaberin Kaiserin Eugenie von Frankreich

Diademe Imperatrice – Eugenie de France |Fontenay Diadem of Empress Eugenie | Diadem der Kaiserin Eugenie von Frankreich

Emerald Collection Empress Eugenie | Magnifique ensemble de joyaux en émeraudes et brillants Imperatrice Eugenie

Imperial Emeralds from Empress Eugenie to Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain Emerald-Necklace

Imperial Emeralds of Empress Eugenie Gift to Queen Victoria Eugenia | Emerald-Necklace in long Version with the Cross

Imperial Emeralds Present to Queen Victoria Eugenia | Emeraldcross of Queen Isabella II. – Madame Patiño

Diamants bleu | Zwei Anker mit geheimnisvollen Diamanten der Kaiserin Eugénie

Broché rubis perles et diamants Eugénie | Brosche mit drei Tropfenperlen, Rubinen und Diamanten der Kaiserin Eugénie

Three pearl and diamond fringe pendants composed of large stones | Broché rubis perles et diamants Eugénie brooch| later in the possession of the Mrs Ernest G Raphael nee Sassoon

Personal Jewellery of Empress Eugénie |France

jewellery cabinet of Empress Eugénie | Der Private Schmuck der Kaiserin von Frankreich

A speculative eugenie-necklace-emerald-pears-shaped-franceview into the jewellery cabinet of Empress Eugénie, about the lost necklace in his history form and the story behind this jewel:

Emerald Collection Empress Eugenie | Magnifique ensemble de joyaux en émeraudes et brillants Imperatrice Eugenie

Ein spekulativen Blick in das private   Schmuck und Juwelen Kabinett der Kaiserin Eugénie von Frankreich, über die Halskette aus Smaragden und Diamanten, in seiner ursprünlichen Form  und dessen Geschichte.

Empress Eugenie’s Personal Jewels

Empress Eugenies Lilac Spray Brooches | Mellerio Flieder Brosche

Ruby-Necklace of Empress Eugenie | Rubin-Diamant-Perlen Collier der Kaiserin Eugenie

Imperial Marguerites of Diamond for the Empress of France | Margeriten aus Diamanten für die Blumenliebhaberin Kaiserin Eugenie von Frankreich

Diademe Imperatrice – Eugenie de France |Fontenay Diadem of Empress Eugenie | Diadem der Kaiserin Eugenie von Frankreich

Imperial Emeralds from Empress Eugenie to Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain Emerald-Necklace

Imperial Emeralds of Empress Eugenie Gift to Queen Victoria Eugenia | Emerald-Necklace in long Version with the Cross

Imperial Emeralds Present to Queen Victoria Eugenia | Emeraldcross of Queen Isabella II. – Madame Patiño