PREVIEW: JEWELLERY, WATCHES, SILVER & OBJECTS OF VERTU: 10 MARCH

“Could you watch Miss White talking about depressions over Iceland and absorb what she was saying?” asked one commentator. “[She is] too sophisticated and severely beautiful,” ruled the BBC as they rejected her as a stand-in television announcer, also warning “…and in case she alarmed timid men from Wigan and country districts”.

Thus ended the small screen hopes of Margaret Audrey White in 1951 – but her face and reputation were to become celebrated as a successful model in the decade of the 1950s.

As Lady Wardington, she was to champion practical measures to help women gain financial independence.

This auction includes items from her extensive collection of jewels, and provides the ideal opportunity to honour her achievements.

Born in Bradford in 1927, the only child of a travelling salesman, Margaret was brought up in North London by her mother. Upon leaving school at 16 she was employed at the Elizabeth Arden cosmetics salon on Bond Street and it was here that she was spotted by Phyllis Digby Morton, editor of Woman and Beauty magazine, who invited her to become a model, and hence launching her high profile modelling career.

After dazzling the BBC, and failing to win its executives over, the following year she became fashion editor of Housewife magazine. In 1964 Margaret married Christopher Henry Beaumont ‘Bic’ Pease, 2nd Lord Wardington, a partner at stockbrokers Hoare Govett and a noted bibliophile. Their family home was Wardington Manor near Banbury, Oxfordshire, where they raised three children.

In the 1980s Lady Wardington realised, as with many other women of that time, that she was not knowledgeable in financial matters. To remedy this she established a financial management course, Capital and Savings Handling (CASH), dealing with savings, pensions and the stock market and aimed at empowering women. The course ran successfully for eight years, until her secretary became ill with cancer.

Lady Wardington, wishing to support the hospice that cared for her, set about fundraising by using her extensive connections to produce the series of Super Hints books. “I just wrote to everyone I knew and asked everyone I met to give me the contents of their address book – the grander the better. I received hints from everyone, from the Queen Mother to Mrs Thatcher – interestingly, the
better known the name, the worse the advice.”

Lord Wardington died in 2005, and Lady Wardington, following a fire at Wardington Manor the previous year, continued with the unfinished job of restoring the property. The fire had included the dramatic rescue of the majority of the contents, including Lord Wardington’s library, and his unrivalled collection of important atlases, considered one of the finest private cartographic collections of its time.

The collection offered here for sale comprises a selection of Lady Wardington’s personal jewellery and accessories, most of which were purchased as gifts by her husband – evidenced by the jewellery cases signed by jewellers located in the City of London, close to his offices.

This varied collection offers a snapshot of the jewels worn by one of Society's most glamorous and beautiful women of the mid 20th century.

Highlights include a c.1950 diamond bracelet, the central articulated panel of geometric design with knot motif shoulders, set throughout with brilliant and baguette-cut diamonds, between three rows of similarly-set straps. Mounted in platinum, it comes in a case by Searle & Co. Ltd, Jewellers & Silversmiths, 1 Royal Exchange, London, E.C.3 (Late of 79 Lombard Street. At 16cm long, it has an estimate of £15,000-20,000.

A stylish mid 20th century gold and diamond-set evening purse in bi-colour ossierwork is expected to fetch £15,000-20,000. The clasp is accented with ribbon detail set with graduated brilliant-cut diamonds.

A second similar gold evening purse is estimated at £10,000-15,000.

A pair of emerald and diamond ear pendants, each set with a Colombian pear-cut emerald within a surround of brilliant-cut diamonds, beneath a quatrefoil surmount set with a step-cut emerald and old brilliant-cut diamonds, is expected to fetch £8,000-12,000. These are presented in a fitted case signed ‘John Haynes & Co. Ltd, 23 Birchin Lane, London, E.C.3.

One of the most striking pieces from the collection is a gem-set cluster brooch / pendant. The pear-shaped cluster is set with various gemstones including cushion-shaped yellow and blue sapphires, emerald, aquamarine and ruby, with old brilliant-cut diamond highlights between. It has a guide of £4,000-6,000.

A diamond double clip brooch / earrings, circa 1950 of flowerhead and ribbon design, and set throughout with brilliant, single and baguette-cut diamonds, the two clips detaching to form earrings, is estimated at £4,000-6,000.
A fine Georgian gold and agate bracelet, composed of eight rectangular vari-coloured agate panels, each claw set, the baton-links between, carries an estimate of £3,000-5,000.