Brazilian Diamond Bow Tiara

Today marks the 110th Anniversary of the Birth of Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria, Princess of Orléans-Braganza, who was born on this day in 1914! Her magnificent heirloom Diamond Bow Tiara was first sold to a Rio Museum and more recently worn by a Brazilian Socialite!

The magnificent Diamond Bow Tiara composed of an ornate Diamond Bow on a Diamond Floral Bandeau seems to have been an heirloom belonging to Princess Isabella of Croÿ, which was given to her elder daughter, Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria upon her marriage to Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza, Head of the Brazilian Imperial Family, in 1937.

Princess Maria Elisabeth wore the Diamond Bow Tiara for a series of portraits taken in the years after her marriage.

Princess Maria Elisabeth continued to wear the Diamond Bow Tiara over the next few deuces, usually for official portraits but also for royal events in Brazil and in Europe.

In 1995, the Diamond Bow Tiara was worn by Princess Maria Teresa de Orléans-Bragança for her Wedding to Johannes Hessel de Jong in Rio de Janeiro.

However, a few years later, Princess Maria Elisabeth sold the Diamond Bow Tiara, and it found it’s way to the Museo Amsterdam Sauer in Rio de Janeiro from an antique shop in Paris.

A few years later, Brazilian Socialite Tamara Gontijo Rudge wore the Diamond Bow Tiara for her Wedding in 2010, and also seems to own a Sapphire and Diamond Brooch also belonging to Princess Maria Elisabeth. Let’s hope we see it worn again soon!