Nancy Astor's diamond tiara fetches £889,400 at auction

---

An exquisite Cartier turquoise and diamond tiara, once owned by the pioneering first female Member of Parliament, has been sold at auction for a staggering £889,400. Nancy Astor, an American-born politician, made history in 1919 when she was elected to represent Plymouth Sutton in the House of Commons, a seat she held until her resignation in 1945. This stunning piece of jewelry, originally purchased by Lady Astor’s husband Lord Waldorf Astor in 1930, made its debut on the market courtesy of London Auctioneers Bonhams.

The rare and precious tiara was reportedly worn by Lady Astor to the premiere of City Lights at London’s Dominion Theatre in 1931, showcasing its elegance and charm on a grand stage. According to Jean Ghika, the Global head of jewellery at Bonhams, the tiara boasts a unique design with a blend of single, rose-cut, and brilliant-cut diamonds, accentuated by three fluted turquoise plumes set with diamond stems. The exquisite piece is said to hail from a time when Cartier London was at its peak of creative brilliance, adding to its allure and value.

Bonhams had initially estimated a selling price ranging between £250,000 and £350,000 for the prized tiara, but it exceeded all expectations during the auction. Lady Astor’s legacy extends beyond her ownership of this remarkable piece of jewelry; during her tenure in government, she played a pivotal role in advocating for social reform, including successfully campaigning for the drinking age to be raised from 14 to 18 in 1923 and championing the rights of women, notably contributing to lowering the voting age for women from 30 to 21 in 1928. Although she was the first female MP to take her seat in the Commons, it is worth noting that another trailblazer, Constance Markievicz, was elected in 1918 but chose not to take her seat as a member of Sinn Féin, as per the House of Commons Information Office

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More

---