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November 10, 2015

Duchess of Westminster's Blue Enamel Kokoshnik

westminster chaumet blue enamel kokoshnik tiara
Creation: This tiara was made by Chaumet circa 1910.

Materials: blue plique-à-jour enamel and diamonds set in gold and platinum.

Provenance:
  1. Constance Lewes neé Cornwallis-West , Duchess of Westminster; from her husband, Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster in 1911
  2. Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster; after their 1919 divorce
  3. Unknown Owner
  4. Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster
  5. Arthur and Dorothy McFerrin Foundation; bought at auction at Christie's in November 2015 for $677,899 and is displayed at the Houston Museum of Natural Science
westminster chaumet blue enamel kokoshinik tiara
Beanie Major

Other Wearers:

Questions:
  • Who were the owner(s) of the tiara between the the 2nd and 6th Duke of Westminster?

Links:
Photos: Christie's/David Warren
Labels: , , , ,
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3 comments :

  1. OmerHNovember 12, 2015 at 5:53 AM

    What a truly unique tiara!! Wish it was worn by a current royal so we can enjoy it again and again!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BlueSaphire70November 13, 2015 at 10:30 PM

      I agree! Alas, the new owner is probably a private person so it won't be worn any time soon.

      Delete
  2. Cynthia LambertDecember 28, 2015 at 12:39 PM

    I know who owned the tiara before the 6th Duke. It was Malcolm Forbes, and the tiara was on display for years at the Forbes Galleries on Fifth Avenue. I used to go and "visit" it all the time, as it was down the street from my home. It was sold to him described as Faberge, but then it was discovered to be the Chaumet tiara of the Dukes of Westminster and sold back to them.

    ReplyDelete

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