Nancy Astor’s diamond tiara fetches £889,400 at public sale

A Cartier turquoise and diamond tiara owned via the primary lady to sit within the House of Commons has been offered for £889,400.

American-born Nancy Astor was once elected in 1919 to constitute Plymouth Sutton in Parliament and held the seat till she stood down in 1945.

London Auctioneers Bonhams mentioned it was once the primary time the tiara have been in the marketplace because it was once purchased via her husband Lord Waldorf Astor in 1930.

The public sale space mentioned it was once worn via Lady Astor to the movie premiere of City Lights on the Dominion Theatre in London in 1931.

Jean Ghika, Global head of bijou at Bonhams, mentioned the “exceptionally rare” tiara with “impeccable provenance” dates from when Cartier London was once on the “height of its creative prowess”.

The tiara has unmarried, rose-cut and brilliant-cut diamonds and 3 fluted turquoise plumes set with diamond stems.

The public sale space had estimated a sale worth of between £250,000 and £350,000.

During her time in govt Astor effectively campaigned for the ingesting age to upward push from 14 to 18 in 1923 and advocated for the rights of ladies together with the decreasing of the balloting age for girls from 30 to 21 in 1928.

While she was once the primary lady to soak up a seat within the House of Commons any other lady was once elected to the Commons a 12 months earlier than.

Constance Markievicz was once a hit within the 1918 basic election, however as a member of Sinn Féin she didn’t take her seat, in step with the House of Commons Information Office.