What’s doin’ at Sotheby’s London this Tuesday? Firstly this gilt-metal recreation of an ancient Olympian’s achievement. The catalogue describes this chaplet-style tiara as “a series of textured bay leaves with an inner circumference of 540mm.” That’s 21 1/4 inches in case your tape measure doesn’t work in metric. Hold on, we’re off to measure the Hostess’ cranium.
Although the tiara’s make is labelled “circa 1900” this can’t be accurate. Its original owner was born in 1900 and the tiara was made during her debutante travels in Europe. So we’d add–what?–16 years to that date.
This tiara of laurels was commissioned in Italy for Rosemary Crane, heiress of Crane & Company Stationary, the oldest family-owned company in America to this day. Although Rosemary was presented at court in London as a debutante, this was made to wear with a Fortuny velvet cloak for a costume party. [Remember, a tiara was the privilege of married women.]
Sotheby’s estimates the gavel price between $1500 and $2000 USD. [That’s £1000 to £1500 in the Queen’s Sterling.] Then again, we’ll see come Tuesday what the Crane Chaplet Tiara fetches.
tiara update: the Crane Chaplet Tiara sold for $1782 USD (£1250 sterling), including buyer’s premium.
history buff, jewelry whore, chatterbox, mets fan
tiaras and trianon 
Oh! This time I think I would love to have the Fortuny better than the chaplet!
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wow. what exactly is Fortuny?
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is it a designer or a kind of fabric?
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I just looked up Fortuny–he was a Viennese designer during the Edwardian period–a Fortuny velvet cloak is up for sale at almost 10k pound sterling through Christie’s.
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wow. that is WAY cooler…
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Fortuny was a spanish artist famous for his Delphi’s gown (pleated like crazy) The technique he used is lost in time, so every Fortuny dress is a unique piece of art.
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Delphos Gown, sorry. The full name of Fortuby was Mariano Fortuny y Madrazos, so castizo hehehe
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hahahaha
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ok now I need one…you know, to impress my Madrileño in-laws 😉
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Just returned from a Gilded Age tour–this chaplet would look good on display along with the vials of bergamot..
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wait, are those tours real or are you joking?
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Real—I visited Clayton, the historic home of a late nineteenth century industrialist, just recently.
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where is Clayton, state-wise?
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Pittsburgh–where many an industrialist got his start. The house belonged to the Frick family before they moved into the massive mansion in New York that now houses his art collection. Have you been there?
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I’ve been to the NY Frick a bunch of times. It’s definitely one of my favorite museums. That is one sick art collection
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Was the debutante age 18 or 21?
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you know, the Sotheby’s website didn’t say…
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I suppose they expect us to know. :p Speaking of Sotheby’s, I’m sure you’ve seen their millennium Jewel, the blue diamond?
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oh yeah drool
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Wow that’s a truly stunning tiara! Love the Greek designs!
Xoxo,
Ashley || Sed Bona
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me too! I especially the Classic Greek!
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