Leuchtenberg Pearl Necklace

~ Saad719

The spectacular Queen Josefina’s Pearl Necklace is going on Auction at the Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels Sale in Hong Kong later today, so we are featuring the magnificent royal heirloom and examine its illustrious provenance!

Composed of two strands of one hundred and five natural pearls, suspending seven detachable drop-shaped natural pearls, all capped with rose-cut diamonds, to the clasp set with an old-mine-cut diamond, the Necklace is attributed to Nitot, the predecessor of the House of Chaumet, and was likely ordered by the famed Empress Josephine, the first wife of Emperor Napoleon.

The necklace was probably a gift from Empress Josephine to her daughter-in-law, Princess Augusta of Bavaria, Duchess of Leuchtenberg, who received similar spectacular gifts like an Emerald Parure, a Sapphire Parure, and a Cameo Parure, but unlike the others, was notably portrayed wearing the Pearl Necklace in various portraits.

When Princess Augusta’s daughter, Princess Josephine, married the future King Oscar I of Sweden, she received Queen Josefina’s Pearl Necklace among several spectacular gifts and often wore it with the Swedish Cameo Tiara over several decades.

After Queen Josefina’s death in 1876, her Pearl Necklace was inherited by the then Swedish Queen, Queen Sofia, who loaned it to her daughter-in-law, the then Crown Princess Victoria, for a Charity Ball in benefit of the Sophiahemmet Hospital in the 1880s, when she put the Necklace in her hair.

At some point, Queen Sofia gave Queen Josefina’s Pearl Necklace to her daughter-in-law, Princess Ebba Bernadotte, the morganatic wife of Prince Oscar, who was pictured wearing the piece numerous times from the 1890s to the 1940s.

After Princess Ebba’s death in 1946, Queen Josefina’s Pearl Necklace was worn by her daughter-in-law, Countess Gerty Bernadotte af Wisborg.

From the late 1970s, Countess Gertrud Bernadotte af Wisborg, wife of Princess Ebba’s grandson, was the one pictured wearing Queen Josefina’s Pearl Necklace.

Originally auctioned by the Bernadotte Family in 1995, Queen Josefina’s Pearl Necklace reappeared at Auction in 2014 at Sotheby’s Geneva and was then exhibited a number of times, including the National Museum in Stockholm and by Chaumet in Paris before going on Auction at the Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels Sale in Hong Kong in 2021.

Queen Josefina’s Pearl Necklace now belongs to the legendary Al-Thani Collection, going on display in the landmark ‘Dynastic Jewels’ Exhibition at the Hôtel de la Marine in Paris a few months ago and there is no doubt we will see it displayed again soon!

The Bernadotte Family retained the Duchess of Leuchtenberg’s Pearl Earrings until last year, when they were auctioned off in Stockholm, and their current location is not known.

Queen Sofia’s Pink Topaz Tiara

Queen Josefina’s Pearl Necklace

Braganza Tiara

Queen Sofia’s Nine Prong Tiara

 Norwegian Emerald Parure

Pearl and Star Tiara

 Pink Topaz Tiara

Leuchtenberg Sapphire Parure

Diamond Tiara

Swedish Cameo Parure

Emerald Parure

Pearl Necklace

 

Empress Joséphine’s Diamond Tiara

The Braganza Tiara

Leuchtenberg Sapphire Parure

Queen Sofia’s 9-Prong Tiara

The Swedish Cameo Parure

The Connaught Diamond Tiara

The Baden Fringe Tiara

Napoleonic Amethyst Parure

King Edward VII Ruby Tiara

Swedish Aquamarine Kokoshnik Tiara

The Norwegian Emerald Parure

Queen Josefina’s Diamond Tiara

Queen Maud’s Pearl Tiara

Queen Alexandra’s Diamond Circlet

Diamond Daisy Bandeau

Norwegian Amethyst Parure

Vifte Tiara

Princess Ingeborg’s Boucheron Pearl Circle Tiara

The Jewels of the Queens of Denmark

The Danish Emerald Parure

The Danish Pearl Poiré Tiara

The Danish Ruby Parure

Danish Diamond Bandeau

Wedding Tiara

Diamond Necklace Tiara

Floral Bracelet Tiara

Queen Caroline Amalie’s Gold Tiara

Midnight Tiara

Danish Diamond Rivière

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Composed of two strands of one hundred and five natural pearls, suspending seven detachable drop-shaped natural pearls, all capped with rose-cut diamonds, to the clasp set with an old-mine-cut diamond. Attributed to Nitot, the predecessor of the House of Chaumet, the necklace likely originated with the famed Empress Josephine, the first wife of Emperor Napoleon.

The necklace was probably a gift from Empress Josephine to her daughter-in-law, Princess Augusta of Bavaria, Duchess of Leuchtenberg, who received similar spectacular gifts like the Norwegian Emerald Parure, the Leuchtenberg Sapphire Parure, and the Swedish Cameo Parure. Princess Augusta was portrayed wearing the pearl necklace in various portraits,

Around the time Princess Josephine of Leuchtenberg, daughter of the Duke of Leuchtenberg and Princess Augusta, married the future King Oscar I of Sweden, she received Queen Josefina’s Pearl Necklace. The necklace was often paired with the Swedish Cameo Tiara for a series of Portraits until the 1850s.

After Queen Josefina’s death in 1876, her pearl necklace was inherited by the then Swedish Queen, Queen Sofia, who loaned it to her daughter-in-law, Crown Princess Victoria, for a Charity Ball in benefit of the Sophiahemmet Hospital in the 1880s, when she put the pearl necklace in her hair.

However it was another of Queen Sofia’s daughters-in-law who eventually received Queen Josefina’s Pearl Necklace, Princess Ebba Bernadotte, the morganatic wife of Queen Sofia’s second son, Prince Oscar.  Princess Ebba was pictured wearing the piece numerous times from the early 1890s to the 1940s.  Later in the 1950s, the necklace was pictured by Countess Gerty Bernadotte of Wisborg, the daughter-in-law of Prince  Gerty

Originally auctioned by the Bernadotte of Wisborg Family in 1995, it was reappeared at Auction in 2014 at Sotheby’s Geneva for 3,301,000 Swiss francs. It had been exhibited a number of times, including the National Museum in Stockholm and in Paris on Napoleon and Joséphine’s jewels by Chaumet. Today the price is available on request, but is no doubt going to be astronomical.

Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels | 12 October 2021

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