Today marks the 120th Anniversary of the Death of Baroness Curzon of Kedleston, who passed away on this day in 1906! The American Heiress from Chicago who married a noted British Statesman and became the Viceregal Consort of India, Lady Curzon had several spectacular jewels, which were highlighted by her Boucheron Diamond Tiara!
When George Nathaniel Curzon was appointed Viceroy of India in the summer of 1898, he was created Baron Curzon of Kedleston. The new Lady Curzon, born Mary Victoria Leiter from Chicago commissioned a spectacular Diamond Tiara from Boucheron, which was ready before Lord and Lady Curzon left for the long journey to India in the winter of 1898.
As vicereine, Mary had to be dressed as befitted a queen in a country where status was indicated by sumptuous clothing and jewels. Her trousseau from Paris cost over one thousand pounds (the average weekly wage of an agricultural laborer then was ninety pence). Levi Leiter gave her a parure of diamonds, including a tiara, and three thousand pounds to the couple jointly.
The Boucheron Diamond Tiara was no doubt worn by Lady Curzon for numerous Viceregal Entertainments, as described in numerous press reports.
Lady Curzon wore a beautiful dress of palest yellow richly embroidered all over with fold sequins; the bodice had shoulder straps of pale blue caught with diamond and ruby clasps. She also wore an all round diamond tiara and a magnificent necklace of diamonds.
However, the most notable appearance of the Boucheron Diamond Tiara came at the 1903 Delhi Durbar, when Lady Curzon wore an iconic Peacock Dress made by Worth.
Parades, march-pasts and polo culminated in the State Ball, where Mary outshone everyone in the famous Peacock Dress cloth of gold embroidered with tiny peacock feathers, each eye an emerald, the skirt trimmed with white roses and the bodice with lace. She glittered with diamonds, pearls and precious stones: a huge necklace of diamonds around her throat, others of diamonds and pearls and a crownlike tiara, a pearl tipping each of its high diamond points. As she walked through the hall, Curzon beside her in white satin knee breeches, the gasps were almost audible.
Most notably, Lady Curzon was portrayed wearing the Boucheron Tiara with her Worth dress for a striking portrait by the artist William Logsdail, which was only finished in 1909, three years after her untimely death at the age of 36.
In her will drafted on the journey to India, Baroness Curzon left her Boucheron Diamond Tiara among other jewels to her husband, Lord Curzon, with remainder to their three daughters; Lady Irene, Lady Cynthia and Lady Alexandra.
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.
The ultimate fate of the Boucheron Diamond Tiara is unknown but since it was never worn by Lord Curzon’s second wife, the Marchioness of Curzon, and neither by his three daughters, it is likely that the Tiara was reset at some point, though it is known that Baroness Curzon’s three Tiaras were left to his second wife, the Marchioness, since when Lady Alexandra married in 1925:
The bride bought herself the tiara deemed necessary by all married women of her social standing: although Mary Leiter had had three diamond tiaras, Curzon had left all these to Grace.
History of Famous Jewels and Collections
Devonshire Diamond Palmette Tiara
Devonshire Tiara
Devonshire Diamond Rivière
Ruby Clasp
Diamond Tiara
Wellington Tiara
Diamond Floral Tiara
Diamond Earrings
Diamond Tassel Earrings
Duchess of Wellington’s Pearl Tiara
Bagration Spinel Tiara
Rosebery Tiara
Diamond Necklace
Westminster Myrtle Wreath Tiara
Diamond Fringe Tiara
Duchess of Buccleuch’s Tiaras
Northumberland Tiara
Duchess of Sutherland’s Tiara
Duchess of Bedford’s Tiaras
Marlborough Tiara
Portland Tiara
Duchess of Norfolk’s Sapphire Necklace
Rutland Tiara
Argyll Tiara
Manchester Tiara
Dufferin Tiara
Bath Tiara
Milford Haven Ruby Kokoshnik
Londonderry Tiara
Londonderry Amethyst Parure
Londonderry Pearl Parure
Londonderry Turquoise Parure
Londonderry Diamond Stomacher
Londonderry Emerald Parure
The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara
Vladimir Tiara
Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara
Belgian Sapphire Tiara
Burmese Ruby Tiara
Brazilian Aquamarine Tiara
Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara
Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara
Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara
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