One of the most important jewelry auctions was held 23 years ago when the Duchess of Windsor’s jewelry collection was auctioned by Sotheby’s. 
Most of the jewelry has been made by Cartier and all of the pieces were highly personal to the Duchess, including a bracelet of crosses, indicating the crosses she had to bear to be with the Duke. 
Everyone seems to be doing new headers....just noticed yours and Joni just changed hers. Something in the air...new mastheads seem to be everywhere.
ReplyDeleteHey, hon! I have a new article about the Duchess coming out in the December issue of Style (on the stands/in homes sometime around November 17th). It's about her Baltimore roots, and her fashion influence on women of the world at the time. Don't know what photos the editors have chosen but am looking forward to finding out!
ReplyDeleteI guess "crosses to bear" depends on perspective. I do believe The Duchess chose her life very carefully.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing to me how narcissists always persist in viewing themselves as the martyrs. A tale as old as time. What a tragic and sad individual!
ReplyDeleteHope all is well with you, Meg! Congrats on all your recent successes.
Not to defend the (usually indefensible) rich and idle, but the crosses on her bracelet symbolized the crosses the two of them had to bear together before they were finally allowed to wed.
ReplyDeleteI have one brooch that is a replica of one of her pieces. A stylized art deco thing. I looked to see if it was up for auction again, but no.
ReplyDeleteI think Elizabeth Taylor bought a few pieces including a Prince of Wales feather brooch, and I know Calvin Klein's wife got the infamous pearls, that she later resold.
I rarely hear of men offering up important jewels as love tokens anymore. I just read a new book on Elizabeth Taylor's passion with Richard Burton, and he certainly knew how to lavish on her.
I'll offer up a tale. Helen Hayes was married to playright, Charles MacArthur (their adoptive son just died recently.) She had a craving for emeralds that she wanted to make into a necklace, and one day her husband brought her a bag of peanuts saying, "I wish they were emeralds." Later as their careers became more successful, her husband brought her a bag of emeralds and as she poured them out, he said, "I wish they were peanuts."
I think any woman who appreciates beautiful gems understands that she is only the caretaker until they move on. If you really want to study gorgeous gems, find the book "Jewels of the Tsars" by Prince Michael of Greece.
My grandmother had a wild rhinestone peacock pin that she said was almost the same as the Duchess of Windsor's peacock pin. When I finally saw the Duchess of Windsor's pin, the only thing the two pins had in common was that they were both peacocks! That said, I'd rather have my grandmother's story than the Duchess of Windsor's lavish peacock pin.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny, how judging by the comments left above, the Duchess still inspires controversy and very strong feeling? No one can deny that she was interesting, and she would be a lot of fun at a party.
ReplyDeleteI am fascinated by her, and was interested to learn that many of these are being auctioned again. I wonder if any homes that she lived in in Baltimore still exist.