Art Deco sapphire and diamond brooch, c.1925, a gift to Princess Margaret from her grandmother Queen Mary, estimate £8000-12,000 at Noonans.
Being sold by a collector, it will be offered at Noonans of Mayfair in the auction of Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu on June 13 with an estimate of £8000-12,000.
Also included in the sale is a white Honiton lace fan, c.1900, formerly the property of Princess Margaret and also given as a gift from her grandmother, 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 US. The fan is guided at £1000-2000.
Panto performance
Frances Noble, associate director, and head of jewellery at Noonans says: “During the years of the Second World War, the two 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 was held in 1941. Photographs of the sisters in the 1943 Aladdin show 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 of the Noonans auction. They are accompanied by Certificates of Provenance from Kensington Palace.
