Could those sapphires be the ones that made their way to Queen Marie of Romania via Grand Duchess Vladimir and Princess Victoria Melita? I am most curious about the provenance of the sapphire tiara given to Princess Ileana.

Could it be that the sapphires were given to Marie of Mecklenberg-Schwerin, who had them set into the kokoshnik tiara by Cartier, then gave it to or was inherited by Victoria Melita, who sold it to her sister?

:rolleyes: Wow, Ursula, those sketches were sumptious! It makes one long for the days when tiaras were frequently worn... Thanks for posting them!

[IMG]http://delivery.gettyimages.com/comp/2673722.jpg?x=x&dasite=MS_GINS&ef=2&ev=1&dareq=9A445C4FB22568358DA2C104CA7F4F71[/IMG]

The last Tsar of Russia Nicholas II (centre) with his wife Tsarina Alexandra (wearing a fether aigrette) and their son Alexis (being held by a Cossack) during celebrations at the Kremlin to mark the Romanov family's 300 years in power