Earring
Category
Jewellery
Date
1825 (circa)
Materials
Diamond, metal.
Measurements
78mm (Length)
Collection
Calke Abbey, Derbyshire
NT 288776
Summary
A pair of diamond earrings together with a small diamond cluster brooch, dating from around 1825, presented within the original fitted case. The earrings are of chandelier form. The centre diamond foliate sections of each earring terminates in a principal cushion-shaped, old-mine cut diamond collet weighing approximately 3.25 and 3.10 carats respectively, suspended from smaller diamond top stones, in an elongated drop-shaped surround of graduated diamond collets with triple pave-set diamond strawberry leaf clusters above. Both earrings are deficient of their diamond top sections. The small diamond cluster brooch is centrally set with an irregular cushion-shaped diamond collet weighing approximately 3.00 carats in a diamond surround.
Provenance
Diamond earrings and brooch belonging to Jane Whitaker, Lady Crewe (1799-1880) and thence by descent to her daughters Isabel Jane Crewe (1830-1909) and Mary Adeline Crewe (1834-1930). Bequeathed by Isabel Jane to go, after the death of Mary Adeline, to Sir Vauncey Harpur Crewe (1846-1924) and his heirs and described in her will as ‘the large diamond earrings in a case with one small round brooch with a large brilliant in the centre… as heirlooms in memory of my mother Jane Lady Crewe whose property they formerly were’. The bequest was confirmed in 1930 by Mary Adeline. Thence by descent to Henry Harpur-Crewe (1921-91) and transferred with Calke Abbey and its contents to the National Trust by the Treasury in lieu of Capital Transfer Tax in 1985 with an endowment provided by the National Heritage Memorial Fund.