This antique tiara from the Estate of Charles P. Fisher has a very special and well-documented history.
Antique diamond tiara (Lot 643, Estimate $6,000-$8,000)
Charles Fisher’s grandmother, Julia Bryant Paine, purchased the tiara in London in 1897. Julia’s husband, Charles Jackson Paine, was appointed to the international Bimetallism Commission by President McKinley and served with Senator Wolcott of Colorado and ex-Vice-President Adlai E. Stevenson (the grandfather of Adlai who ran for president against Ike Eisenhower).
1897 was the year of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, an event that marked 60 years of Queen Victoria’s reign. The 78 year old monarch presided over numerous state events in her honor. For the more formal of these, a tiara would have been an indispensable accessory.
The tiara converts into this stunning necklace
As is typical for the period, the tiara converts into a necklace. Or, each element can be separated and worn as brooches or hairpins. We were excited to find that all of the original fittings remain intact and together in the set. Often these little parts get lost through the generations and rarely survive. But here we have all the original clips and fasteners that Mrs. Paine would have used to create just the right impression on the Queen and other dignitaries.
This tiara, or necklace, or hairpins — whichever you prefer — will be offered at our next Fine Jewelry auction in Boston on September 10, 2013.