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Paste reproductions of St. Edward's Crown, Queen Mary's Crown and Queen Victoria's Coronation ring, 1950s
Description
- plactic, paste, metal, fur, velvet, leather
Catalogue Note
St Edward's Crown
Originally created in 1661 and later reworked, the crown is applied with four fleur-de-lys motifs and four cross pattée. Above these are two arches meeting at the centre to support a jewelled cross. In total the crown contains 444 precious and semi-precious stones and the base is trimmed with ermine fur. The crown is also seen represented on the Royal Coat of Arms for the United Kingdom.
Queen Mary's Crown
Originally commissioned by Queen Mary, from the Crown Jewellers, Garrard & Co., for the coronation of her husband George V on 22 June 1911. The crown is similarly applied with four fleur-de-lys motifs and four cross pattée. Above these are arches meeting at the centre to support a jewelled cross. Containing some 2,200 diamonds, as well as the Koh-i-Nûr, Cullinan IV and Cullinan III, the crown was described by The Daily Telegraph as having, 'no jewels but diamonds...', clustered together, 'as if they had no support but their own light.'
Queen Victoria's Coronation Ring
Originally created in 1838, by the royal goldsmiths, Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, the ring is set with an octagonal sapphire, rubies and diamonds. During the coronation ceremony the ring is placed on the fourth finger of the sovereign by the Archbishop. Unfortunately at Victoria's coronation there was a misunderstanding and Rundell, Bridge & Rundell made the ring for Queen Victoria's little finger. During the ceremony the Archbishop forced the ring onto Queen Victoria's fourth finger which meant that she had to soak her hand in ice after the ceremony to take it off.