An Edwardian diamond tiara, the gift of the 6th Earl Spencer to his daughter, composed of alternating linear and oval motifs in a graduated almost complete circlet, and set with more than eight hundred old round brilliant, old European and old cushion cut diamonds, total estimated weight approximately 48cts; the tiara is held on its cushioned frame by tiny and beautifully engineered wing-topped screws, so that it may be removed, and it then divides by means of hidden clasps, the central three sections becoming a choker necklace (length 35cm) and the two outer sections joining to form a bracelet (currently lacks one clasp, but another could readily be copied and requires no diamonds), length 19cm. Stylistically, this tiara is a rarity, with its clean lines and sleek forms, both reminiscent of Neo-Classical and French Empire styles and also foreshadowing the geometric shapes of Art Deco jewellery. The diamonds are most likely to have been cut in the 19th century and are of commensurate high quality - bright, white, clean and lively. The craftsmanship is superb, and its adaptability into various jewels has been achieved with great and subtle skill. Provenance: The tiara was given by Charles Robert Spencer, the 6th Earl, to his daughter Lady Delia Spencer on the occasion of her marriage in 1914; thence by inheritance. Lady Delia (Adelaide) Spencer was the eldest child of the 6th Earl. Born in 1889, her childhood was a typical late Victorian aristocratic idyll, abruptly ended by the death of her mother when Delia was only just 17. She had no formal education, but was a gifted musician ('cello and piano) and continued for the while to have lessons at the Royal College of Music. But her father, then Viscount Althorp, had many social and political duties, so Delia, to a great extent, took on her mother's rôle as hostess, manager of the households in London and Northamptonshire, and a mother figure to her five younger siblings. Four years later, in 1910, her father inherited the Earldom from his much older half-brother, and Delia's position was settled in the heart of not only aristocratic and royal circles, but also of the movers and shakers of the day, usually much older than her. This was a formidable education. By family tradition, this is the tiara Delia's father gave her on the occasion of her marriage, on February 18th 1914, to the Hon. Sidney Peel, younger son of the 1st Lord Peel, Speaker of the House of Commons and grandson of the Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel: he was 42, she was 23. Such a gift was customary: Delia's own youthful (spasmodic) diaries record several instances of tiaras as gifts, and twice to a bride when she herself was one of the bridesmaids. In the photograph of her wedding day, as the happy couple emerge from the church, the outline of the tiara can be made out under the (now thrown back) veil. The Times of 13th February, 1914 gave an extensive report of the forthcoming nuptials, listing all the important personel and describing the bride's dress (white satin trimmed with a flounce of old point d'argenton lace, and a family Brussels lace veil). It also mentioned the guard of honour provided by Sidney's squadron of the Bedfordshire Yeomanry, and the article was dominated by a list of the presents received - a diamond brooch from Queen Alexandra, pearl and diamond pendant from Princess Victoria, and - 'From Earl Spencer: a diamond tiara, a moonstone and diamond pendant, a nova mina and diamond brooch, a ruby guard ring…' Many years later, in the 1930s, Delia records her younger sister, Lady Margaret Douglas-Home, wearing her tiara to a dance at Norfolk House. Delia herself adored dancing and seems to have had a great gift for ensuring the enjoyment of others. She was widowed in 1938, but unlike Queen Victoria (upon whose knee she reputedly once sat as a small child), she did not withdraw into permanent mourning. She was a close friend of the royal family, lady-in-waiting to the then Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother), and renowned for the fun and energy of her company with friends and family alike. Delia's father had died in 1922, and her brother Jack (Albert John) became the 7th Earl; his son Johnnie (Edward John) became the 8th Earl in 1975, and he was father of Lady Diana Spencer, who married Prince Charles in 1981 (the year Delia died) to become the Princess of Wales. Thus, Delia was Princess Diana's great aunt (and great great aunt to Prince William and Prince Harry). There were many plaudits both during Delia's lifetime and after her death, summed up by a niece who wrote: 'There are very few life enhancers in this world and Delia was definitely one. We all want to live our lives to the full, and when you were with Delia you felt just that extra spark of vitality and understanding which makes all the difference to life … Anybody who came in contact with her was the happier.' A hardback copy of her biography, 'A Memoir of the Lady Delia Peel, born Spencer, 1889-1981' by Priscilla Napier, is offered with this lot, together with a photocopied reproduction of the Times report of the wedding.
