A superb diamond tiara inspired by one of the most fashionable – but tragic – figures of the 19th century was the star lot of our February auction.

‘Empress Elisabeth of Austria – known universally as Empress Sisi – was a true fashion icon, but for most of her adult life she was unhappy,’ explains Managing Partner Christina Trevanion. ‘She was married to Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria when she was 16 years old, but found Austrian court life stiflingly dull and oppressive, a situation not helped by her difficult relationship with her mother-in-law Archduchess Sophie, who insisted on raising the couple’s children herself. Sisi became obsessed with maintaining her figure, squeezing herself into ever tighter corsets in order to wear the cutting edge fashions of the day. These days we would probably say she was on the verge of – or even suffering from – anorexia, but the fact was her body was pretty much the only thing in her life she had control of.’

Sisi was immortalised in a famous portrait painted by Franz Xaver Winterhalter in 1865, in which she’s depicting wearing magnificent diamond and pearl stars in her hair, and it’s this image which started a fashion of its own, as Jewellery specialist Amelia Tomkinson explains: ‘Sisi’s portrait caused a sensation when it was unveiled, and ladies everywhere were captivated by the idea of stars in their hair. So although the piece in our auction was made a tiara, the three diamond stars were detachable and designed to be worn separately as hair ornaments, just like the ones Sisi wears in Winterhalter’s portrait. They could also be worn as brooches, making the piece a truly multifunctional addition to any lady’s wardrobe.’ After a fierce bidding battle, the tiara sold for its top estimate of £12,000 plus fees.

‘Empress Sisi died in 1898 at the hands of an Italian anarchist,’ notes Christina, ‘but in many ways her legacy lives on in the fashions she helped to create. Stories like Sisi’s are part of what I love most about antique jewellery – they give us the opportunity to wear pieces with a real history to them, adding depth and warmth to the experience of owning them.’
We will be holding our next Jewellery valuation days on Wednesday 18th and Tuesday 24th February. Christina Trevanion and her team of experts will be holding a valuation day for Fine Art and Antiques on Friday 20th February. To book a valuation appointment call 01948 800202.