A gold mounted amethyst rivière necklace, 19th century, composed of large graduating oval mixed-cut amethysts, spaced by smaller oval amethysts of paler hue, each stone mounted in fancy beadwork settings, the similarly set clasp with later belcher-link extensions to either side, length 41cm. £1,500-£2,000

Provenance:

Formerly the property of Marie-Louise Countess Manvers (1889-1984), an acclaimed and productive artist, (painting under the name Marie-Louise Pierrepont), and thence by descent.


Born Marie-Louise Roosevelt Butterfield in Ghent in 1889, she was the only child of Lord Frederick and Lady Butterfield of Cliffe Castle Keighley, Yorkshire.
 
In 1917, Marie-Louise married Captain Gervas Evelyn Pierrepont (1881-1955), the sixth Earl Manvers JP MC & Duke of Kingston on Hull.


On her death, the necklace passed to her only surviving child, Lady Frederica Rozelle Ridgway Pierrepont (1925-2015). During the Second World War, Lady Rozelle joined the Wrens and she saw the effects of the war close up, as the wounded were brought home across the Channel. She was particularly moved by the condition of German prisoners of war, remembering: “I suddenly became aware of the indescribable tragedy and horror of war. These were no proud and noble specimens of the Aryan race but a pathetic collection of underfed, tired and ill-looking youths wearing the ragged remains of their uniforms, with a forlorn and hopeless look in their eyes.” (Obituary: The Independent, June 2015).
Lady Rozelle went on to sail single handed across the Baltic in her yacht, the Martha McGilda, which she had purchased in 1956. She set up a charitable trust teaching East End boys in care sailing in the London docks. and later worked with refugees displaced from Yugoslavia. Her first marriage in 1953 had ended in divorce and she married Richard Hollings Raynes in 1965, later becoming an author, and writing under the pen name Rozelle Raynes.



This lot is being offered for sale by a cousin and god-daughter of Lady Rozelle Raynes.