This beautiful signet ring was commissioned by Sir Thomas Gresham, an English merchant and agent of Henry VIII and all three of his children in …
The Grasshopper Ring
Jewellery
THE TUDOR QUEENS’ CONSORT NECKLACE
The so-called ‘Consort Necklace’ is one of the most famous pieces of Tudor jewellery. Appearing in a number of portraits of Henry VIII’s wives, it …
CATHERINE HOWARD & THE YOUNG ELIZABETH
Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII, was the third stepmother Elizabeth had known. Catherine and Elizabeth shared another connection, they were first cousins once …
PORTRAIT JEWELLERY DETAIL OF QUEEN CATHERINE PARR
Catherine Parr was a true Renaissance queen. The Renaissance was literally a time of the rebirth of Classical knowledge and learning, and humanists venerated the …
ANNE BOLEYN’S JEWELLERY
Henry VIII had lavished Anne Boleyn with jewels, gifting her many exquisite pieces during their courtship and marriage. In addition, Anne had demanded, and received, the jewels of Katherine of Aragon. We only know what happened to a portion of Anne’s jewellery collection; what happened to the rest remains a mystery.
A letter from one of Henry’s European ambassadors indicates that Mary received a large portion of Anne Boleyn’s jewellery; an entry in ‘Letters and Papers’ summarises a letter sent from Mr Pate, ambassador, to Henry VIII on the 1st July, 1536; the entry states:
A MYSTERIOUS TUDOR RING
‘Lady Sussex desires you to return her the ring she sent you with a wreath of gold, for it is the Queen of Hungary’s, “who would not lose it for a king’s ransom, but maketh much ado for it. The owner is kin to my lady Pawlet. Mrs. Polle knoweth who oweth it.’
