The secret of Empress Josephine's pearl necklace

[Lady_Disdain]

Ok, waiting for the next installment! I can't wait to see what comes next (yeah, I am not a patient woman).

My favourite version is Princess Augusta/Queen Josephine, even considering that the round drape is an artistic license. I love the look of two strands close in length. Empress Josephine's version is very interesting and the sort of thing I would expect from one of the merveilleuse.

 

[CLICLASP]

Don't be too hard with the beauty of the necklace as we are "peeling" it , maybe the photos are not good enough visit the Sotheby's page again.
http://www.sothebys.com/fr/auctions/ecatalogue/2014/magnificent-jewels-ge1405/lot.431.html

If we look close again, the today's display shows the first strand shorter than the one of Queen Josephine and her mother where the first strand is nested close to the second one . Definitely today's arrangement shows the second strand with pearls "dropping" down, but why not ?

 

[CLICLASP]

And all of a suddain the person in charge with this special window where it was exhibited, opened it to take it off.
I literally "jump" on him and took to opportunity to ask to see the clasp in real (you may know I am currently writing a book on clasps), and I frequently take the opportunity of photo shooting clasps to add pearls to the photo shooting.
This time it was the contrary, my first interest was for Josephine's pearls, then the clasp came in second.

So he turned the bust for display to show me the clasp, and OMG ! what a diamond, I never saw such a wonderful diamond so far (and I have seen plenty, especially at auctions), I think it was a Goldonda mine old cut diamond and what a size, what a clarity , what a shine , what a color, this diamond really left me breathless, and it's impossible to catch its magnificence in photo.

 

[CLICLASP]

to be continued...

 

[CLICLASP]

And this is the very moment under the hammer, when at final it reached 2.800.000 swiss francs, which is 3,301,000 CHF with buyer commission, a very emotional moment.

 

[CathyKeshi]

And we got an almost front row seat, with THANKS to CliClasp!

 

[CathyKeshi]

And I wonder if the purchaser got such an up close and wonderful view of the clasp as we lucky few did ... Again, THANKS to CliClasp

 

[pattye]

All soooo amazing and wonderful! Wonderful beyond words! Thank you, Anna! That diamond with that cut is indeed captivating! (I'm not often a fan of diamonds either, but this one has character!)

 

[Camelotshadow]

Loved the necklace until I saw the Diamond clasp...Golconda diamonds are my favorite...what a breathaking view from the back of the necklace! Some of those diamonds were what is called type IIA & were a stunning white colorless. The crystal structure lattice is completely or almost devoid of N & can be tested by a lab to id. Less than 2 % od diamonds will be this type so they are rare & are associated with the Golconda mine.

Thanks...oh to have been royalty & to have been adorned by these jewels...

http://4cs.gia.edu/en-us/blog/diamonds-location-golconda/

That does not look like a super old cut & would guess around 1850 but its likely original to strand but clasps can be updated thru the years as seems the design during restringing as it seemed to vary in length.. If it belonged to Empress Josephine it would date the strand to late 1700's. Guess diamond could be that old but it sort of looks old minish but I am far from an expert on 1700 & 1800 diamonds!.

You can tell alot from a clasp such as age as pearls are harder to judge age. I look for old mine cuts myself.

 

[CLICLASP]

Yes the diamonds type IIA are rare and extraordinary. I always watch the clasps... I guess you know why ...

 

[Camelotshadow]

There might be the same drop pearls that appeared on this Empress Josephine's portrait (by Fran?ois Simon G?rard Baron) , with her emerald necklace

Look like the same drops. The drops might predate the strand which could have been made later.
Seems Empress is about 40 in both the photos so it would be about 1800?

She may have worn them on different strands. Wild how they were made like enhancers. I like the drop pearls better than the strand pearls.

 

[JerseyPearl]

What a wonderful older thread to bring up! Looking at the photos, I prefer the pearls dangling from the shorter strand with the larger strand below.

 

[Pearly-Whites]

I am really enjoying the history and knowledge on this thread. So entertaining and informative!

 

[parfaitelumiere]

I fond this picture of Pauline Bonaparte with pearl necklace.



one strand only, but 9 drops (eight visible on picture)
and this other picture of a same period brooch, we can see the gold or silver mounting on the drop pearls.



Both pictures come from a book named "La bijouterie française au XIX" first tome by vever.
The book (all 3 tomes) are available to read online on gallica.

 

[CLICLASP]

Thanks for keeping this thread active.
As I am preparing a lecture oc clasps history in Paris in march, I was talking with the School about clasps and necklaces and saying that pearl necklaces are the most often restrung over time ; most of the time it's the strand that is rebuilt, and sometimes reconstructed differently and ancient clasps are still there, and working good !

 

[CLICLASP]

You can tell alot from a clasp such as age as pearls are harder to judge age. I look for old mine cuts myself.

I think I did not see your post before, but beware of dating necklaces from the clasp ! A new match between clasps and strands is very common.
I found many necklaces that have been updated with more contemporary clasps as from the XVIII century to comply with customers taste.
You may know I have documented a story of clasps over 4000 years, link under my signature and there is a post I started there :
https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/s...96-4-000-Years-of-fasteners-in-Jewellery-quot
When I met the Victoria and Albert museum in London, that's the first thing the curator warned me about.
Clasps are such a passion but very tricky sometimes ...

 

[parfaitelumiere]

I was thinking about the previous picture I added, and remember now the drops are removables as the 2 strands (c clasps)
So it's possible the necklace is the same, and was displayed with 9 drops and only one strand.
It can esily explain why there are so many variations, if the drop display is free, possible to put one or 9, and with variable number of pearls between them.
Not easy to know, without knowing if the clasps are original or later adds.

 

[CortezPearls]

Reviving this old thread because the necklace is up for Auction!

The necklace, also known as the "Leuchtenberg necklace," dates to the beginning of the 19th century and is attributed to Nitot who in 1780 founded the jewelry brand Chaumet. It belonged to Augusta Amalia of Bavaria (1788-1851), who was married to Eugène de Beauharnais, the son of the Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais (1763-1814) and stepson of Napoleon Bonaparte.

You can read the article HERE!

 

[CLICLASP]

Oh good t read that I remember attending to this auction ! Fabulous necklace indeed

 

[CortezPearls]

Great to see you here CLICLASP
If you have the chance to attend...please do tell us your impressions of the event