Romanov Diamond Riviere | Collier d'esclave| Nuptial Jewellery|Russia Crown Jewels| Imperial Wedding Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna

DIAMOND RIVIERE, THE SO-CALLED « COLLIER D’ESCLAVE».

This beautiful ornament consists of two rows formed by 36 large diamonds, showing a total weight of 475 30 /*2 rn. c., so that each stone averages more than 13 m. c. — quite an exceptional choice of diamonds! They are joined by silk strings fastening with great pliancy the silver «chatons» with golden galleries at the base. The upper row, consisting of 21 solitaires, forms the « riviere» itself, the other 15 diamonds and a number of smaller brilliants are beautifully suspended as pendeloques.

The beauty of the single stones, as well as the general impression produced by this quite matchless necklace, is simply striking. Some of the ancient Indian diamonds are slightly defaced by speckles. However, these are compensated by others of charmingly bluish and pink water. The various shades form a harmonious brilliant scale, enchanting the eye by its richness.

Eascinating, too, is the beautiful Indian cutting which dates probably from the XVII -th- XVIII -th century.

Length of the collier — 36 cent. Width (in the centre, including the pendeloque) — 6,4 cent.

In the inventory of 1898, we have a precise description of the necklace (N? 41/41) which exactly corresponds with the ciphers engraved in the setting of the solitaires. This interesting description, which agrees perfectly with the items of our experts, is presented almost completely as follows:

(The weight is kept in ancient carats).

In the « riviere»:

1 br. — four-cornered solitaire, good water —

32 16 /* 2 c.;

1 br. — oblong, obtuse-angled, exquisite water —

23 29 /*2 c.;

1 br. — oblong, refrangible, of white water — 17 8 /» c.; 1 br. large solitaire -speckled in the middle — 19 ,0 /32 c.; 1 br. — oblong solitaire, white, very refrangible — 16 6 /« c.

The weight of 16 stones follows: 16*/8 2 ; 13 37 /? 2 ;

12 u /» 2 ; 12 2 /s 2; 11 ‘y 32 ; lO'/.a; 8 2 */32; 8 22 /32; 8 l5 / 32 ; 7™/n;

6 9 /j 2 ; 16 6 /82.

Regarding the report on the last of these, the ancient lists mention that it has been «rendered December 8 -th 1831 after the decease of tsarevitch Constantin Pavlovitch» (41/54).

Pendeloques (15 stones):

1 br. — refrangible, dark — 26 ,9 /32 c.; 1 br. — of regular shape, somewhat yellowish — 25 c.; 1 br.— equal qualities— 20 , 9 / 3 2 ; 1 br. — excellent water, irregular form— 17 20 /82; 1 br. — equal to the preceding— 16 26 /* 2 ,‘ 1 br. — oval, white, refrangible— 12 ' 5 /**; 1 br.— 14 2t /«; 1 br. — light-pink shade— 14 22 /i 2 ; 1 br. — oblong obtuseangled, flat — 4 u /m. The weight of 6 more stones is as follows: 14 ,l /»; 7 , 2 / 3 2 ; 7 28 /»; 7 S A 2 ; 6 12 /» 2 ; 6 “/i 2 .

Besides, 15 more diamonds are mentioned which form an intermedial row and weigh altogether 12 2 /s 2 c. Inv. 1 922 — N 222 .

Long time nothing was known about the buyer and whereabout of this important part of the russian crown jewels, but now a match is up to the light. Mrs Margrete Thompson Biddle is pictured two times with that large riviere in the 1940th wearing the necklace and probably later in the 1960th a little bit altered the pendeloques together.

Is the riviere still in the possession of the Thompson Biddle family, I don't know. Mrs Thompson-Biddle, the very rich american heiress spend her Vermeille Service to the white house and left three yellow pearshaped diamonds setted from Harry Winston, to the Smithonian Museum.

We know from her dairy:

In the tumultuous year of 1939, amidst the foreboding shadows of war, Margaret Thompson Biddle, wife of Anthony Biddle, Jr., the U.S. Ambassador to Poland, found herself ensnared in a harrowing escapade.
Her personal diary, a poignant chronicle of these events, reveals the stark reality of their evacuation from Poland under the looming threat of German bombardments.
The ordeal commenced abruptly on September 2nd, 1939. Margaret was roused early in the morning by a call from her husband, urging her to hasten to the Embassy with all their belongings. With no taxis in sight, she navigated the tension-filled streets in a drosker, a traditional carriage, clutching her fur coat, gas mask, and bags—a vivid image of resilience amid chaos.
The following day marked a zenith of terror in Margaret’s life. Stationed in Konstantian, a mere 20 minutes from Warsaw, she and Tony, along with their daughters from previous marriages, witnessed the horror of German bombers descending in a menacing "power dive," obliterating the house next door. A chilling reminder of their perilous situation was a piece of shell landing on their balcony, amidst the resonating echoes of shattering windows.
In these dire circumstances, the family's safety was paramount, and they took refuge in the basement, armed with gas masks. Miraculously, amidst this turmoil, Margaret's cherished fur coats remained unscathed.
Their journey then led them to Warsaw's chancellery, where they regrouped and secured their belongings. Days later, the significance of Margaret's furs became apparent as they served as vital protection against the chill during their evacuation to Krzemieniec, a remote hill town near the borders of Russia and Romania.
The eerie journey through the dark, filled with military caravans, was a testament to the unsettling times. In Krzemieniec, the Biddles found solace in a house with running water and ample rooms. Margaret recounts with a touch of whimsy how she and her daughter, Peg, found comfort curled up on the floor, their fur coats as blankets, amidst the bustling activity of their new abode. This experience, she notes, was surprisingly one of the most peaceful she ever had, despite her affluent background as the sole heiress to an $85 million estate.

One of their more serene moments was a picnic on the hillsides of Krzemieniec, shared with notable figures like the British and French Ambassadors. This brief interlude of tranquility was shadowed by the knowledge that the very hillside would later be a target of bombardment. As they journeyed towards Romania, Margaret observed the local attire with a discerning eye, contrasting it with her practical "evacuation costume." In Cernauti, Romania, she relished in the simple luxuries of a good bath and fine cuisine, a stark contrast to the austerity of the previous days. Their eventual departure for Paris, surrounded by fellow Americans and diplomatic peers, marked the end of a chapter in Margaret's life—an extraordinary narrative of resilience, diplomacy, and survival in the face of war.

what was going on with the Romanov jewels in the year 1923, we have a note in the french press about:

Will the Russian crown jewels become the property of Poland?
WARSAW, December 31. -.The peace treaty signed between Poland and the U.S.S.R. in 1921, in Riga provided, among other things, for the return to Poland of cultural and material goods taken by the Russians during the war or monopolized during Russian domination. These assets mainly include precious metals from the Bank of Poland in Warsaw which were valued at 30 million gold rubles. In view of the serious difficulties encountered by the Claims Commission, the two governments concluded an agreement in 1923 under which Poland secured the Romanoff crown jewels valued at 30 million gold rubles. This pledge was to become the property of Poland if, within 15 years, the Soviets did not fulfill their commitments.

These jewels are: the crown of Tsar Nicholas I, a riviere of diamonds from Tsarina Marie-Fedorowna, a composed of three rows of pearls and diamonds, the coronation globe of the Tsars of Russia, decorated with brilliants and rubies, the scepter of coronation of the Romanoffs, the crown of Alexander II, as well as a significant number of other jewels, precious metals and stones. Given that, despite the repeated interventions of the Polish government with the Soviet authorities, the Soviet commitments have not been fulfilled and that the deadline for this deposit expires this year, it is to be assumed that the Polish Treasury will come into possession of these jewels.

Les joyaux de la couronne russe deviendront-ils la propriété de la Pologne

VARSOVIE, 31 décembre. -.Le traité de paix signé entre la Pologne et l'U.R.S.S. en 1921, à Riga prévoyait entre autres le retour à la Pologne des biens en cultures et matériel, emportés par les Russes pendant la guerre ou bien accaparés durant la domination russe. Ces biens comportent principalement les métaux précieux de la Banque de Pologne à Varsovie qui ont été évalués à 30 millions de roubles or. Etant donné les sérieuses difficultés rencontrées par la commission des revendications, les deux gouvernements ont conclu, en 1923, un accord en vertu duquel la Pologne a obtenu en gage les joyaux de la couronne des Romanoff évalués à 30 millions de roubles or. Ce gage devait devenir la propriété de la Pologne si, dans un délai de 15 années, les Soviets ne remplissaient pas leurs engagements. Ces joyaux sont : la couronne du tsar Nicolas 1or, une rivière de diamants de la tsarine Marie-Fedorowna, composée de trois rangs de perles et de diamants, le globe de couronnement des tsars de Russie, orné de brillants et de rubis, le sceptre de couronnement des Romanoff, la couronne d'Alexandre f II, ainsi qu'un nombre important d'autres bijoux, de métaux et de pierres précieux. Etant donné que, malgré les interventions réitérées du gouvernement polonais auprès des autorités soviétiques, les engagements des Soviets n'ont pas été remplis et que le délai de ce dépôt expire cette année, il est à supposer que le Trésor polonais entrera en possession de ces joyaux.

Sources:Wikipedia;Fersman;,Ministerium für innere Angelegenheiten der EVG der Russischen Föderation für das Gebiet Swerdlowsk.Goverment RU;Journal des débats politiques et littéraires;L’Écho d’Alger;La Liberté;Le Journal;Le Figaro;

Meinem lieben Volker in dankbarer Erinnerung!

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