Königin Marie-Jose
von Italien | Queen of Italy - Faberge Tiara
"Kaiserin Josephine Diadem"
Nach dem Tod ihrer Eltern, den unermesslich reichen Nikolaus Fürst
von Romanowsky Herzog von Leuchtenberg (1841-1891) und der Fürstin
Nadeshda geborene Annenkow (1839- 1891) übernahmen die Brüder
Nikolaus (1868-1928) und Georg (1872 Rom - 1929 Seeon) ihre Besitzungen
im Chiemgau, wozu bis 1892 auch Schloss Stein an der Traun zählte.
Während Herzog Nikolaus seinen Wohnsitz in Südfrankreich nahm,
blieb Herzog Georg in Seeon.
Herzog Georg heiratete am 23. April 1895 in St. Petersburg Olga Fürstin
Repnin.
Olgas Söhne Dimitri und Constantin versuchten nach dem Tod ihres
verehrten Vaters den Besitz in Seeon zu erhalten, mussten aber letztendlich
doch verkaufen. Es kam am 30. Januar 1934 zur öffentlichen Versteigerung
der herzoglichen Güter im Chiemgau und ihrer Kunstschätze.
Das umfangreiche Archiv wurde in London versteigert. Die Bibliothek,
die auch Pergamentblätter aus dem 15. und 16. Jahrhundert umfasst
hatte, war schon im April 1929 bei Graupe in Berlin versteigert worden.
Das belgische Königspaar Albert I und seine Frau die bayrische
Prinzessin Elisabeth, kaufte bei dieser Gelegenheit dieses antique Diamant-Diadem
von Faberge, bei einem Privatverkauf im schweizerischen Vervey - wo
der Juwelenhändler Seiler beauftragt war, die Juwelen des letzten
Herzogs von Leuchtenberg zu verkaufen.
Es ist kein Bild der Königin Elisabeth von Belgien bekannt, das
sie mit der Tiara von 214 Altschliff Diamanten und ca vierhundert Diamantrosen
und den Diamantbriolettes von insgesamt 85 ct Diamanten, zeigt, evtl
schenkt sie es unmittelbar ihrem Sohn Prinz Prinz Karl von Belgien (1903
- 1983) dem Graf von Flandern.
Der zweite Sohn des belgischen Königs Albert I. von 1945 bis 1950
Prinzregent der Belgier, hatte eine Schwäche für die Kunst
und malte.
Er hinterliess lt seinem Testament dieses Diadem, gestempelt im Rahmen
von August Holmström, einem Goldschmiedemeister von Faberge tituliert
als "The Empress Josephine Tiara", seiner Schwester der Ex-Königin
Marie José Charlotte Sophie Amélie Henriette Gabrielle
von Italien. (* 4. August 1906 - 27. Januar 2001 in Genf).
Lange wurde gerätselt wo sich das ausergewöhnliche Stück
befindet und warum die italienische Königin es nie trug, denn sie
sammelte Schmuck und hatte eine hochwertige Bibliothek mit seltenen
Schmuckbüchern und hist. Juwelenversteigerungen.
Doch, da der kinderlose Prinz Karl 1983 verstarb, erhielt Marie José
das Juwel wohl erst als fast 80-jährige und trug es nie mehr in
der Öffentlichkeit.
Die italienische Ex-Königin Marie José gab das Diadem ihrer
Tochter Prinzessin Maria Gabriella von Savoyen, die es am 13. Juni 2007
durch das Auktionshaus Christies für €590 000 - 880 000 versteigern
lässt.
The King of Belgium and his wife the Bavarian princess Elisabeth,
purchased this diamond Tiara by Fabergé, after the First World
War in Switzerland, through the jeweller Seiler, Vervey. It comes from
the collection of the Dukes of Leuchtenberg, a title first granted to
Eugene de Beauharnais, son of the Empress Josephine, and adopted son
of Napoleon, on the occasion of his marriage to Princess Augusta Amalia,
daughter of King Maximilian of Bavaria. Their youngest child, Prince
Maximilian Joseph married in 1839 Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of
Russia, eldest daughter of Tsar Nicholas I.
Queen Maria José inherited the tiara from her brother Prince
Charles Theodore (1903 -1983) the Count of Flanders.
In his will, this exceptional jewel is referred to as 'The Empress
Josephine Tiara' on account of the fact that the briolette-cut diamonds
in the tiara were a gift from Tsar Alexander I of Russia to the Empress
Josephine. The Tsar used to bring presents for Josephine when he visited
her at La Malmaison, following her divorce from Napoleon.
214 old-cut diamonds and approximately 400 diamond roses are set in
this tiara once owned by the Dukes of Leuchtenberg.
The central pear-shaped diamond is an enormous 7ct, flanked by three
briolette and one old-cut diamonds, each with diamond collet and leaf
surmount to the foliate band, on gold wire frame, mounted in silver
and gold, circa 1890, 13.2 cm. wide, with Russian assay marks for gold
and the maker's mark for August Holmström on the frame.
- Approx. weight diamond briolettes from left to right; 0.40 - 3.50 (I/J, I) - 4.50 (I/J, I (cavity to reverse)) - 5.20 (I/J, SI) - 7.0 (K/L, SI) - 5.4 (I/J, SI) - 5.0 (J/K, I) - 4.2 (I/J, SI) - 0.40 carats briolette-cut diamonds in the tiara were a gift from Tsar Alexander I of Russia to the Empress Josephine. The Tsar used to bring presents for Josephine when he visited her at La Malmaison, following her divorce from Napoleon.
- Approx. weight diamond knife edge spacers from left to right; 0.20 - 0.30 - 1.0 - 2.70 (J/K, VS) - 4.0 (K/L, VS) - 3.20 (I/J, I) - 2.70 (K/L, SI) - 0.75 - 0.30 - 0.20 carats
- Approx. weight diamond collets in band from left to right; 0.05 - 0.20 - 0.25 - 0.50 - 1.80 (J/K, SI) - 2.50 (K/L, SI) - 1.80 (J/K, VS) - 0.50 - 0.25 - 0.20 - 0.05 carats
- Approx. weight other diamonds 23.0-25.0 carats
- Total approx diamond weight tiara 80-85.0 carat
Notes Cf. Geoffrey C. Munn, Tiaras a History of Splendour
'...A remarkable group of Fabergé tiaras. Jewellery by the famous
Russian goldsmith is rare and his tiaras are rarer still. A photograph
of three together is unprecedented...' (Wartski, London)
August Holmström (1829-1903) was responsible for
some of Fabergé's greatest jewels. He completed his apprenticeship
in 1850 and joined Gustav Fabergé's workshop as chief jeweller
in 1857 and was made workmaster in 1870. August and his son Albert,
who succeeded him after his death in 1903, were known for their fine
work with diamonds. They crafted jewels of the finest quality and produced
most of Fabergé's jewellery.
This tiara’s whereabouts was a mystery which is now solved. Prince Charles wanted to mary a Noble Belgian Lady. His brother said no she is not a RH. But the King married his Children’s Governess who was a commoner.
Later when Charles became Regent between 1945 and 1950 and after , the relationship between Charles towards his mother and his brother was that bad that the Count of Flanders never attend royal events anymore.
The two Brothers died in the same year 1983. Charles died the first and his brother Leopold III did not attend his funerals, it was written about the bad and terrible relationship between the brothers after Queen Astrid’s death. In that case, Charles did not want to give this tiara to the main branch of the royal house.
When
Queen Marie José inherited this jewel in 1983, she was 77-years-old
and thus never wore it in public.
In 2001, the tiara went to HRH Princess Maria Gabriella, the daughter
of Umberto II, the last King of Italy and his wife, Princess Marie José
of Belgium.
Princess Maria Gabriella Giuseppa Aldegonda Adelaide Daisy Ludovica
Felicita Gennara of Savoy (born Naples, 24 February 1940) sent the tiara
to be auctioned by Christies on June 13, 2007 for $2,071,389.
source: picture copyright Christies - Important Jewellery
13.Juni 2007
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