Good Morning, Princesses…Happy Tiara Tuesday!
Today we are going to discuss the Poltimore Tiara. Most likely, you recognize this magnificent diamond confection from photos of England’s Princess Margaret. Made of graduated lines of cushion cut and old cut diamonds with scroll motifs, mounted in silver and gold in 1870. This was a favorite of hers and she wore it quite regularly throughout her adult life.
Originally created for Florence Bampfylde who was the wife of the second Baron Poltimore and Treasurer to Queen Victoria’s household 1872-1874. Made by Garrard ion 1870, the tiara was designed to convertible. With these conversions, not only was it possible to wear this as a small or larger sized tiara, but also as a necklace and eleven brooches.
Lady Poltimore’s grandson offered the tiara for sale at auction through Sotheby’s in 1959 after she passed away. Princess Margaret snapped up the tiara for only £5,500!!! Amazingly, it sold for little. Nevertheless, the Poltimore tiara found a new home with Princess Margaret and became the tiara she was best known for wearing.
HRH Princess Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon in 1960 wearing the stunning Poltimore tiara on her special day. Earl Snowdon later photographed his wife wearing the Politmore tiara in the bathtub. Reportedly, Countess Snowdon was going to a black tie event, with her hair and makeup completed, and stepped into the bath before getting dressed. Suddenly this photo became an iconic remembrance of Princess Margaret—-her humor, her ability to push boundaries and her charm.
When she passed away in 2002, her children David Armstrong-Jones and Lady Sarah Chatto were facing exorbitant estate taxes. In 2006, Christie’s auctioned off the Poltimore tiara for just under £1 million. Surprisingly, the Royal Family did not arrange to purchase Countess Snowdon’s tiara and keep it within the family. Instead, it sold to an undisclosed buyer and remains hidden from public view.
I’m disappointed to hear that the Poltimore tiara will not be seen in public any longer. But as it has been said before by countless people…we don’t really own jewelry. It owns us…for a small period of time and then transfers to the next person who will love it and give it a good home.
Enjoy what you have and wear it and love it!
—-Leslie