NOONANS TO OFFER FOR SALE TWO GIFTS GIVEN BY QUEEN MARY TO PRINCESS MARGARET

A fine Art Deco sapphire and diamond brooch, circa 1925, a gift from Queen Mary to Princess Margaret in 1946, will be offered for sale at Noonans Mayfair in their auction of Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu to be held on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. The stylish Art Deco brooch, cased by Collingwood, was a gift to the Princess from her grandmother Queen Mary, on her confirmation on April 15, 1946, when the Princess was aged 15 years old. The brooch is estimated to fetch £8,000-12,000 and is being sold by a collector.
Also included in the auction is a white Honiton lace fan, circa 1900, formerly the property of Princess Margaret and given as a gift from her grandmother Queen Mary in 1939. The lace fan was made to order by Queen Mary in 1904, for Victoria Mary, Princess of Wales, for the St Louis Exhibition in the USA. The fan is offered for sale with an estimate of £1,000-2,000.

As Frances Noble, Associate Director, and Head of Jewellery at Noonans explains: “During the years of the Second World War, the two Royal Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, took part in Royal pantomimes at Christmas, performed at Windsor Castle, helping to build morale during the dark years of the war, the first pantomime being held in 1941. Photographs of the two sisters in the 1943 Royal pantomime of Aladdin show Princess Margaret holding the lace fan in her role as Princess Roxana, with her sister taking the lead role of Aladdin. The idea to stage the Royal pantomimes came after the two princesses appeared in a concert with children from the Royal School to aid the war effort. Funds from the shows went towards the Royal Household Wool Fund which provided comforts for the troops.”

Both the brooch and fan were formerly sold at Christie’s auction, Property from the Collection of Her Royal Highness, The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, exactly 17 years ago to the day on June 13, 2006 and are accompanied by Certificates of Provenance from Kensington Palace.