A stunning Art Deco diamond and cultured pearl bracelet owned by the late Princess Margaret and worn for her iconic 19th birthday photograph by Cecil Beaton in 1949, will be offered for sale by Dix Noonan Webb at their Mayfair saleroom on Tuesday.
The bracelet dates to around 1925 and comprises a double row of cultured pearls bordering circular-cut diamonds, with a lovely Art Deco diamond and pearl openwork geometric clasp.
It was previously sold at Christie’s in 2006 in their prestigious auction of jewellery from Princess Margaret’s collection. Catalogues from that sale are now collectors’ items.
Taken at Buckingham Palace on July 8, 1949, the image was published on Margaret’s birthday, August 21. Beaton recalled in his diary: “She was at Lords for the Eton and Harrow match, and got back a bit late, but she is such a quick dresser that a few moments after her return she appeared changed into the new evening dress Hartnell had supplied her that morning – a dull dress of white tulle embroidered with sequin butterflies and a rainbow tulle scarf around the waist. She looked very pretty and wore quite a lot of make-up – and the eyes are of a piercing blue – catlike and fierce and so very pristine and youthful…”
He also noted: “She had been up till 5.30 the night before (she likes the peace and anonymity of the 400 nightclub) and towards the end of the two hour sitting, started to wilt and became very tired…”
In July, DNW took £260,000 for medals belonging to Group Captain Peter Townsend, who was romantically involved with the princess when she was 22.
The royal bracelet is estimated to fetch £30,000-£40,000.
