Necklace uncovered a century after Red Cross Pearl Appeal

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Necklace uncovered a century after Red Cross Pearl Appeal

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Wow, I didn't know about this, did you? :?:

Necklace uncovered a century after Red Cross Pearl Appeal
January 1, 2019 . By Rachael Taylor

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"In 1918, auction house Christie’s helped out with an unusual jewellery fundraiser. Women who had lost loved ones in the First World War were asked to donate a pearl in their memory, and these poignant gems were strung together to be auctioned off to raise funds for the Red Cross Appeal. And now, one of those historic pearl necklaces has been uncovered, thanks to a publicity campaign promoting a book.

Pearls Before Poppies: The Story of the Red Cross Pearls, penned by Rachel Trethewey, was released earlier this year and tells the story of this little-known campaign. While we all associate the selling and wearing of paper poppies with the Red Cross, the charity kicked off its post-war fundraising efforts with adornments that were a little more luxurious.

During The Red Cross Pearl Appeal of 1918, 4,000 pearls were donated and the gems were strung together to create 41 necklaces. These, along with other pearl jewels such as rings and brooches, raised £85,290, 12 shillings and 4 d for wounded soldiers when they were auctioned off at Christie’s in London on December 19th, 1918. At the top of the bill was the Norbury necklace, described by the auctioneer as “the necklace of necklaces”, with a string of perfect pearls and a diamond clasp, which sold to jeweller Carrington Smith for £22,000.

The campaign was driven Lady Mary Northcliffe, wife of the owner of The Daily Mail and The Times, and the socialites of the day, who would ask their rich friends to release a single pearl from their necklaces to help build up the cache of gems. There were dozens of countesses, duchesses and viscountesses on the organising committee, and well-heeled donors included Queen Alexandra, the Queen Mother. ... "

https://jewellerycut.com/necklace-uncov ... rl-appeal/
PinkDiamond
ISG Registered Gemologist


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