Jewels of the Dollar Princesses

Tomorrow’s episode of HBO’s ‘The Gilded Age’ promises to be a sumptuous feast of jewels as the Heiress Gladys Russell is set to marry the Duke of Buckingham, like the many American ‘Dollar Princesses’ who married into the British and European Aristocracy and received the most magnificent Jewels from the leading European Jewellery Houses.

The Jewels of the Gilded Age

Consuelo Vanderbilt, Duchess of Marlborough is the archetypal ‘Dollar Princesses’ and said to be the inspiration behind Gladys Russell, and she received this magnificent Boucheron Diamond Tiara from her father when she married the Duke of Marlborough in 1895, along with two Pearl Necklaces, which had once belonged to Catherine of Russia and to the Empress Eugénie.

Marlborough’s ideas about jewels were equally princely, and since there appeared to be no family heirlooms, jewels became a necessary addition to my trousseau. It was then the fashion to wear dog-collars; mine was of pearls and had nineteen rows, with high diamond clasps which rasped my neck, My mother had given me all the pearls she had received from my father. There were two fine rows which had once belonged to Catherine of Russia and to the Empress Eugénie, and also a sautoir which I could clasp round my waist. A diamond tiara capped with pear-shaped stones was my father’s gift to me, and from Marlborough came a diamond belt.”

Consuelo also received a Boucheron Pearl and Diamond Tiara as a Wedding Gift from her mother, Alva Vanderbilt, which remains an heirloom of the Dukes of Marlborough.

The Duchess of Marlborough’s namesake and predecessor in English Society was Consuelo Yznaga, the Duchess of Manchester one of the first ‘Dollar Princesses’, who married the 8th Duke of Manchester, and commissioned this Cartier Tiara in 1903, which was also worn by her daughter-in-law, another American Heiress, and is now on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Mary Goelet, the Duchess of Roxburghe was an Heiress of the Goelet Family who married the 8th Duke of Roxburghe in 1903 and commissioned several magnificent jewels, including a Cartier Pearl Suite for her daughter-in-law.

Heiress Mary Leiter from Chicago married Lord Curzon, later the first 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, and became the highest ranking of the ‘Dollar Princesses’ when she became the Viceregal-Consort of India. Baroness Curzon received several magnificent jewels as wedding gifts, which she mentioned in her will:

I devise and bequeath my four rows of white pearls my large tiara made by Boucheron my second diamond tiara made by the Goldsmiths Co my diamond necklace made by Watherston and all my old laces to my husband George Nathaniel Lord Curzon of Kedleston to be held by him upon trust during his life for my son if I have one or for the eldest surviving of my sons if I have more than one.

She left the diamond star tiara and a diamond brooch and pendant given to her on her marriage by Lord Scarsdale (her father-in-law) to her husband for life, with remainder to follow the title of. Curzon of Kedleston. She left her ruby and diamond ornament, ruby and diamond clasp, ruby and diamond ring, turquoise belt. turquoise buckle, turquoise crescent, sapphire and diamond bracelet, and all other of her jewels, plate, ornaments, and personal belongings to her husband.

Baroness Curzon’s sister, the Countess of Suffolk and Berkshire wore a striking Sapphire Necklace Tiara along with a Cartier Sun Tiara, which may be the one currently on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and also a White Sapphire and Diamond Kokoshnik Tiara.

The American Heiress Adele, Countess of Essex owned an iconic Cartier Diamond Tiara that was once loaned to Lady Churchill, the Romanian Crown Princess and Rihanna, and has now become an iconic part of the Cartier Collection, currently on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Heiress Cornelia Martin, Countess of Craven inherited the French Crown Ruby Tiara and Necklace from her mother and also owned another Diamond Tiara, which were both auctioned off after her death in 1961, along with a Sapphire and Diamond Brooch bought by the Duchess of Devonshire.

Nancy, Viscountess Astor was the first female Member of Parliament to take her seat in the British House of Commons, and owned a magnificent Cartier Tiara with the Sancy Diamond, as well as a Cartier Turquoise Tiara and a Diamond and Sapphire Necklace.

Probably the highest ranking of the ‘Dollar Princesses’ was Nancy Leeds, the wealthy American widow who married the youngest son of the first Greek King and became Princess Anastasia of Greece and Denmark. Her collection included a magnificent Cartier Tiara and a Diamond Bandeau Tiara.

The American Author and Socialite Elizabeth Wharton Drexel, Baroness Decies possessed this spectacular Cartier Garland Tiara, which she wore at the 1937 Coronation and to the Metropolitan Opera House during the Second World War.

The American heiress who married a British Diplomat and was a great charitable figure, Alice, Lady Lowther possessed this magnificent Chaumet Pearl and Diamond Tiara!

The Ogden Mills Boucheron Tiara passed from Mrs Ogden Mills  through her daughter, the Countess of Granard, to her granddaughter, the Marchioness of Bute, and was worn by her daughter-in-law, Lady James Chrichton-Stuart, later Begum Salimah Aga Khan. A Cartier Emerald Necklace from the Countess of Granard is now in the Cartier Collection.

The Dollar Princesses also married into the European Aristocracy, among them Gladys Vanderbilt, cousin of Consuelo, who became Countess Széchenyi, who revived a magnificent Cartier Tiara and a massive 62-carat Diamond that she wore to the Coronation of Emperor Charles I of Austria as King of Hungary in 1916.

An honorary mention to her sister-in-law, Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, who acquired Princess Mathilde Bonaparte’s Diamond Rose Brooch.

The Jewels of the Gilded Age

Boucheron Tiara

 Duchess of Marlborough’s Pearl Necklace