Stomacher
Category
Jewellery
Date
1750 (circa)
Materials
Diamond and silver.
Measurements
80 mm (Length)
Order this imageCollection
Calke Abbey, Derbyshire
NT 288834
Summary
A set of four rose-cut diamond flower brooches and associated spray ornaments, circa 1750. The set comprises a principal flower spray brooch, a smaller flower spray brooch and a pair of diamond sprays.
Full description
A set of four rose-cut diamond flower brooches and associated spray ornaments, dating from around 1750 and comprising a principal flower spray brooch, a smaller flower spray brooch and a pair of diamond sprays. A jointed gold frame with fittings for four brooches has historically been associated with these four jewels but does not appear to have the correct construction for adaptation. The brooches and ornaments are likely to have once formed part of a larger jewel. Whilst the original purpose is unknown, their importance suggests the most likely use would have been as components of an 18th century tiara, necklace or, most probably, a stomacher. They probably belonged to Lady Caroline Manners, Lady Harpur (d. 1769) as described in the 1886 inventory of the family jewel case, ‘Old Roze Diamond Stomacher wh belonged / the Diamonds / to Lady Caroline’ (D2375/H/F/2/27). Lady Caroline bequeathed to her son, Sir Henry Harpur, 6th Baronet (1739-89) a ‘diamond necklace’ and ‘diamond earrings of three dropps’ (PROB/11/954/2), which were designated as heirlooms upon Sir Henry's death.
Provenance
A set of four diamond flower brooches and associated ornaments probably belonging to Lady Caroline Manners (d. 1769); bequeathed by Sir John Harpur Crewe, 9th Baronet (1824-1886) as ‘my family Diamonds which are now set in an ornament known as “a stomacher” and which may be made into two brooches and a necklace’ and ‘to be enjoyed as heir looms by the person for the time being entitled to the possession of my South Derby estates’; recorded in the 1886 inventory of the family jewel case as the ‘Old Roze Diamond Stomacher wh belonged / the Diamonds / to Lady Caroline’. 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.