The jewels of

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I; as such, she was Queen of Scotland The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional fo ...

(1572–1619), wife of

James VI and I James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...

and queen consort of Scotland and England, are known from accounts and inventories, and their depiction in portraits by artists including

Paul van Somer Paul van Somer (c. 1577 – 1621), also known as Paulus van Somer, was a Flemish artist who arrived in England from Antwerp during the reign of King James I of England and became one of the leading painters of the royal court. He painted a nu ...

. A few pieces survive. Some modern historians prefer the name "Anna" to "Anne", following the spelling of numerous examples of her signature.

Goldsmiths and jewellers

James VI and Anne of Denmark were married by proxy in August 1589 and in person when they met at Oslo.

Lord Dingwall Lord Dingwall is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1584 for Andrew Keith, and in 1609 for Sir Richard Preston, with remainder to his heirs whatsoever. In 1619 he was further honoured when he was made Baron Dunmore and Earl of ...

and the King's proxy, the

Earl Marischal The title of Earl Marischal was created in the Peerage of Scotland for William Keith, the Great Marischal of Scotland. History The office of Marischal of Scotland (or ''Marascallus Scotie'' or ''Marscallus Scotiae'') had been hereditary, held by ...

bought a jewel in Denmark, given to her at "the time of the contracting of the marriage". A diamond ring was involved in these ceremonies, described as "a great ring of gold enamelled set with five diamonds, hand in hand in the midst, called the espousall ring of Denmark". This ring, and a gold jewel with the crowned initials "J.A.R" picked out in diamonds, were earmarked as important Scottish jewels and brought to England by King James in 1603, in the keeping of his favourite, Sir George Home. James' goldsmiths returned some royal pieces to him at

Leith Leith (; gd, Lìte) is a port area in the north of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith. In 2021, it was ranked by '' Time Out'' as one of the top five neighbourhoods to live in the world. The earliest ...

before he set out, jewels they held as pledges for loans. While he was in Denmark, James VI ordered his chancellor, John Maitland of

Thirlestane Thirlestane Castle is a castle set in extensive parklands near Lauder in the Borders of Scotland. The site is aptly named Castle Hill, as it stands upon raised ground. However, the raised land is within Lauderdale, the valley of the Leader Wate ...

to give jewels to

Christian IV Christian IV (12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648) was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 until his death in 1648. His reign of 59 years, 330 days is the longest of Danish monarchs and Scandinavian monar ...

and his mother Sophie of Mecklenburg, to other royals at the wedding of Elisabeth of Denmark and

Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Henry Julius (german: Heinrich Julius; 15 October 1564 – 30 July 1613), a member of the House of Welf, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruling Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel from 1589 until his death. He also served as administrator of the ...

on 19 April 1590, and to the admiral

Peder Munk Peder Munk of Estvadgård (1534–1623), was a Danish navigator, politician, and ambassador, who was in charge of the fleet carrying Anne of Denmark to Scotland. The events of the voyage led to witch trials and executions in Denmark and Scotland ...

. These gifts included four great table diamonds and two great rubies set in gold rings which the master of the royal wardrobe

William Keith of Delny Sir William Keith of Delny (died 1599) was a Scottish courtier and Master of the Royal Wardrobe. He also served as ambassador for James VI to various countries. He was an important intermediary between George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal and the kin ...

had brought to Denmark. When Anne of Denmark arrived in Scotland in May 1590 the city of Edinburgh organised a ceremony of Royal Entry. The queen was led to various sites in the town, and finally a rich jewel was lowered to her on a length of silk ribbon from the Netherbow Gate. This jewel, comprising a large emerald and diamond set in gold with pendant pearls, had been enlarged and remade by David Gilbert, a nephew of

Michael Gilbert Michael Francis Gilbert (17 July 1912 – 8 February 2006) was an English solicitor and author of crime fiction. Early life and education Gilbert was born on 17 July 1912 in Billinghay, Lincolnshire, England to Bernard Samuel Gilbert, a writ ...

, from an older royal jewel which James VI had pledged to the town for a loan. The jewel was called the "A", probably referring to the crowned initial or cipher of "A" embroidered with gold thread on its purple velvet case. Soon after her coronation, the

Earl of Worcester Earl of Worcester is a title that has been created five times in the Peerage of England. Five creations The first creation came in 1138 in favour of the Norman noble Waleran de Beaumont. He was the son of Robert de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Leices ...

came as ambassador to Scotland from Elizabeth I. He brought Anne a richly wrought cloak set with jewels, a carkat of pearls with a tablet (a necklace), and a clock or watch. She brought a German jeweller Jacob Kroger with her to Scotland in May 1590. Kroger is known to have made fixing and buttons for the queen's costume, he described his work to an English border official John Carey in 1594. Kroger fled to England with some of the queen's jewels and a French stable worker called Guillaume Martin. He was returned to Edinburgh and executed. He may have been replaced by a French goldsmith called "Clei" of whom little is known. When Anne of Denmark was pregnant in December 1593, it was said that James VI gave Anne of Denmark the "greatest part of his jewels", possibly including the large table-cut diamond and cabochon ruby pendant known as the "

Great H of Scotland The Great 'H' of Scotland was a jewel belonging to Mary, Queen of Scots comprising a large diamond, a ruby, and a gold chain. It was broken up in 1604 and made into the Mirror of Great Britain for James VI and I. Mary Queen of Scots The "H" was ...

" which had belonged to

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scot ...

. Her son, Prince Henry, was born at

Stirling Castle Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological ...

on 19 February. On 8 April 1594, possibly marking her " churching", James VI gave Anne a gold garnishing or headdress made by Thomas Foulis with two rubies and 24 diamonds, and an opal ring. In August 1594 her son Prince Henry was baptised at

. Joachim von Bassewitz was sent by Anne's grandfather, the

Duke of Mecklenburg This list of dukes and grand dukes of Mecklenburg dates from the origins of the German princely state of Mecklenburg's royal house in the High Middle Ages to the monarchy's abolition at the end of World War I. Strictly speaking, Mecklenburg's p ...

, with a gold chain or necklace for the queen, described as "very fair and antique". By antique it was meant the piece was made in modern classicising renaissance style. The necklace comprised rubies, chrysolites, and hyacinths set in roses. Bassewitz explained that it represented the combined English roses of York and Lancaster. It was suitable to wear on the front of gown "made after the French fashion, as the Queene now doth use".

Adam Crusius Adam Crusius or Crause (died 1608) was a German diplomat. He was from Bortfeld. In August 1594 he was sent to the baptism of Prince Henry at Stirling Castle as the representative of the Duke of Brunswick. He attended a banquet in the Great Hall ...

, the ambassador from the

Duke of Brunswick Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...

brought his master's miniature portrait in a locket with his name set in diamonds and a scene of the

death of Actaeon ''The Death of Actaeon'' is a late work by the Italian Renaissance painter Titian, painted in oil on canvas from about 1559 to his death in 1576 and now in the National Gallery in London. It is very probably one of the two paintings the artist ...

watched by Diana and her nymphs, his blood running from the "byting of the Doggs" picked out with polished rubies. A large pendant showing a scene of Diana and Actaeon is depicted worn on the sleeve in a 1589 portrait of Frances Brydges, Lady Chandos, by

Hieronimo Custodis Hieronimo Custodis (also spelled Hieronymus, Heironimos) (died c. 1593) was a Flemish portrait painter active in England in the reign of Elizabeth I.Strong 1969, p. 195 Life and work A native of Antwerp, Custodis was one of many Flemish artist ...

Woburn Abbey Woburn Abbey (), occupying the east of the village of Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the family seat of the Duke of Bedford. Although it is still a family home to the current duke, it is open on specified days to visitors, a ...

. It was customary at the Scottish court to give gifts on News Years Day. In January 1596, James VI gave Anne of Denmark a pair of gold bracelets set with stones and pearls, a ruby ring, and a tablet and carcan set with diamonds and rubies. The gifts were supplied by the goldsmith and financier

Thomas Foulis Thomas Foulis ( fl. 1580–1628) was a Scottish goldsmith, mine entrepreneur, and royal financier. Thomas Foulis was an Edinburgh goldsmith and financier, and was involved in the mint and coinage, gold and lead mining, and from May 1591 the receip ...

from the money James VI received as a subsidy from Elizabeth I and the custom duty of the Scottish gold mines. In January 1600, James gave her a great emerald set around with diamonds and another jewel set with 29 diamonds, and in January 1601 a gift provided by

George Heriot George Heriot (15 June 1563 – 12 February 1624) was a Scottish goldsmith and philanthropist. He is chiefly remembered today as the founder of George Heriot's School, a large independent school in Edinburgh; his name has also been given to H ...

cost £1,333 Scots. Anne of Denmark owned clothes embroidered with pearls. In 1597 she ordered an elaborate gown embroidered with jet beads and buttons which proved too heavy to wear and her tailor was ordered to start again.

George Heriot

From the early 1590s,

sold pieces to Anne of Denmark, and he was appointed goldsmith to the Queen on 17 July 1597. In August 1599 Heriot was paid £400 Sterling from the English annuity, a sum of money which Queen Elizabeth sent to Scotland, for jewels delivered to Anne of Denmark. He also provided items of embroidered costume and hats to the queen and her children. Several of her Scottish accounts and bills were checked and paid by

William Schaw William Schaw (c. 1550–1602) was Master of Works to James VI of Scotland for building castles and palaces, and is claimed to have been an important figure in the development of Freemasonry in Scotland. Biography William Schaw was the second ...

, Chamberlain of Dumfermline. Itemised jewels include a diamond feather with an emerald to wear in a hat, "ane fethir for ane hatt quherein thair is sett ane greit Imerod & ane uther Jewell conteining lxxiij dyamentis". A surviving chain or necklace thought to have been made in Edinburgh for an Edinburgh merchant or his wife, resembles a design by Corvinianus Saur, an

Augsburg Augsburg (; bar , Augschburg , links=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabian_German , label=Swabian German, , ) is a city in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, around west of Bavarian capital Munich. It is a university town and regional seat of the ' ...

jeweller who worked for Christian IV in 1596 and became his court jeweller in 1613. This piece may demonstrate close links in fashion between the royal courts of Scotland and Denmark, and the upper reaches of Edinburgh society. The links of the necklace, held in a private collection, have a central diamond surrounded by open gold work enamelled black with a simple crown.

Heriot and loans to the King and Queen

George Heriot made loans to Anne of Denmark, often secured on jewels. On 29 July 1601 he returned a feather or aigrette of rubies and diamonds set around an emerald which she had pledged for a loan. A request for a loan (not dated) written by Anne survives, "Gordg Heriott, I ernestlie dissyr youe present to send me tua hundrethe pundes withe all expidition becaus I man hest me away presentlie, Anna R." A letter from James VI to Mark Kerr of Newbattle of June 1599 mentions that he had instructed John Preston of Fentonbarns to repay from tax receipts a sum of money advanced on the security of some of the queen's jewels to George Heriot. James VI required "the relief of our said dearest bedfellow's jewels engaged". Preston however, had reserved the money for the costs of an embassy to France. As the departure of his ambassador was delayed, James VI wanted Mark Kerr to ensure that Heriot was now paid. The King thought the transaction "touched us so nearly in honour". The letter is often quoted as an example of the queen's extravagance although it does not mention that this particular loan, which James was anxious to repay from his revenue, had been made to the queen. A warrant from James VI dated July 1598 to the

treasurer A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance. Government The treasury o ...

Walter Stewart of Blantyre Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Blantyre (died 8 March 1617) was a Scottish politician, administrator, and judge. Life He was the son of Sir John Stewart of Minto and Margaret Stewart sister of James Stewart of Cardonald Educated with James VI under ...

, requests 3,000

merks The merk is a long-obsolete Scottish silver coin. Originally the same word as a money mark of silver, the merk was in circulation at the end of the 16th century and in the 17th century. It was originally valued at 13 shillings 4 pence (exactly ...

to be used to redeem jewels belonging to the queen pledged by his direction and command. The money was given to Andrew Stewart, Lord Ochiltree, who paid off a loan (possibly from Heriot) and redeemed two of the queen's jewels. James VI borrowed £6,720 from Heriot for which he pledged a jewel set with 74 diamonds, probably one of his own hat feathers. In 1603, Anne pledged a jewel with 73 diamonds, with a thin table diamond and two emeralds, to Heriot as security for a debt to him of £7,539-13s-4d Scots. After the Union of the Crowns, she continued to obtain jewels and loans from Heriot, occasionally ordering the chamberlain of her estates, Lord Carew, to make repayments. A gold cross, with seven diamonds and two rubies, pawned by Anne of Denmark to Heriot in May 1609, seems to be mentioned in several earlier inventories and accounts, and probably had belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots and her mother,

Mary of Guise Mary of Guise (french: Marie de Guise; 22 November 1515 – 11 June 1560), also called Mary of Lorraine, was a French noblewoman of the House of Guise, a cadet branch of the House of Lorraine and one of the most powerful families in France. She ...

. In March 1613, to finance her progress to Bath, Anne pawned a "fair round jewel" with a diamond to Heriot for £1,200. The jewel was delivered to "Lady Rommeny", Rebecca Romney, the widow of a London merchant, by George Abercromby, a gentleman of the wardrobe.

Heriot and the court in England

Heriot's surviving bills for jewellery supplied to Anna of Denmark mostly date from 1605 to 1615, totalling around £40,000. One account was audited by

Justinian Povey Justinian Povey (d. 1652), held office as Auditor of the Exchequer and administrator for Anne of Denmark. Justinian Povey was the son of John Povey, an embroiderer in London. His sister Joan married William Angell, a fishmonger. A brother, John Pov ...

in February 1617. Her servants Jean Drummond,

Margaret Hartsyde Margaret Hartsyde or Hairtsyde ( fl. 1600–1640) was a Scottish servant, jewel thief, and landowner. A servant of the queen, Anne of Denmark, Hartsyde's duties included looking after the queen's jewels, dealing with the goldsmith George Heriot, ...

and

Dorothea Silking Dorothy Silking ( fl. 1608-1640), was a Danish courtier, one of the chamberers in the household of Anne of Denmark. Career Records of the royal household refer to her as "Mistress Dorothy", or "Dorothy Silkin" or "Silken", or "Selken". She was from ...

often dealt with him and made payments on her behalf. Hartsyde and Silking looked after the jewels that Anne wore, and may have dressed her. When she moved from place to place on progress, her jewels were kept secure by William Bell, clerk of the jewel coffers. She frequently wore a miniature portrait of

Isabella Clara Eugenia Isabella Clara Eugenia ( es, link=no, Isabel Clara Eugenia; 12 August 1566 – 1 December 1633), sometimes referred to as Clara Isabella Eugenia, was sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands in the Low Countries and the north of modern France with ...

and Heriot mended its locket case twice. She was less keen on full size portraits of the Archduchess and her husband and considered giving them away to a friend in Scotland. Surviving pieces made by Heriot for Anne include a gold miniature case set with her initials in diamonds, now held by the

Fitzwilliam Museum The Fitzwilliam Museum is the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge. It is located on Trumpington Street opposite Fitzwilliam Street in central Cambridge. It was founded in 1816 under the will of Richard FitzWilliam, 7th Vis ...

, which the queen may have gifted to her lady-in-waiting

Anne Livingstone Anne Livingstone, Countess of Eglinton (died 1632) was a Scottish courtier and aristocrat, and lady-in-waiting to Princess Elizabeth and Anne of Denmark. Anne Livingstone was a daughter of Alexander Livingstone, 1st Earl of Linlithgow and Heleno ...

, and a pair of earrings which include the enamelled face of an African man, in a private collection. The earrings were itemised by Heriot in 1609 as "two pendants made as more's heads and all sett with diamonds price £70." She also had "a pendant with a Moore's head". She had African servants attending her horse, in Scotland and in England. These pieces may have reflected her fascination with the representation of African people in the theatre, as in her ''

Masque of Blackness ''The Masque of Blackness'' was an early Jacobean era masque, first performed at the Stuart Court in the Banqueting Hall of Whitehall Palace on Twelfth Night, 6 January 1605. It was written by Ben Jonson at the request of Anne of Denmark, the ...

''. Elizabethan aristocrats had also worn jewellery decorated with images of African or Moorish people, in 1561 the

Earl of Pembroke Earl of Pembroke is a title in the Peerage of England that was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title, which is associated with Pembroke, Pembrokeshire in West Wales, has been recreated ten times from its origin ...

owned a brooch with an agate cameo of "a woman morens hedde with a white launde upon the hedde", and the "Gresley Jewel" includes an onyx cameo of this description and two gold African archers. Such cameos were supplied by a London goldsmith,

John Mabbe John Mabbe was the name of three English goldsmiths working in Tudor London. The senior John Mabbe (died 1582) married Isabell Colley, and was Chamberlain of London. His son John married Martha Denham, and they were the parents of the third John ...

. Heriot provided a chain of gems and pearls with her portrait miniature which Anne of Denmark gave to the Spanish ambassador, the Count of Villamediana in October 1605, and she gave his senior companion, the

Constable of Castile Constable of Castile ( es, Condestable de Castilla) was a title created by John I, King of Castile in 1382, to substitute the title ''Alférez Mayor del Reino''. The constable was the second person in power in the kingdom, after the King, and h ...

, a rather more expensive diamond encrusted locket made by

John Spilman Sir John Spilman (also spelt Spielman) (died 1626) was a Lindau, German-born entrepreneur who founded the first commercially successful paper-mill in England, establishing a factory on the River Darenth in Dartford, Kent in 1588.Dartford: Cradle o ...

containing her portrait and James'. Heriot made the diamond-set jewel which the queen presented to Jane Meautys on her wedding to Sir William Cornwallis in 1610. Heriot also supplied jewels to

Prince Henry Prince Henry (or Prince Harry) may refer to: People *Henry the Young King (1155–1183), son of Henry II of England, who was crowned king but predeceased his father *Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal (1394–1460) *Henry, Duke of Cornwall (Ja ...

Anne of Denmark by Paul Van Somer cropped

Heriot made jewels for Anne of Denmark with ciphers or initials picked out with diamonds; "S" presumably for her mother,

Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow (''Sophia''; 4 September 1557 – 14 October 1631) was Queen of Denmark and Norway by marriage to Frederick II of Denmark. She was the mother of King Christian IV of Denmark and Anne of Denmark. She was Regent of Schl ...

, "C4" for her brother

Christian IV of Denmark Christian IV (12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648) was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 until his death in 1648. His reign of 59 years, 330 days is the longest of Danish monarchs and Scandinavian monar ...

, and "AR" for herself. Christian sent a diamond "C4" to Anne in June 1611, a gift noted by the Venetian ambassador

Antonio Foscarini Antonio Foscarini (c. 1570 in Venice – April 22, 1622) belonged to the Venetian nobility and was Venetian ambassador to Paris and later to London. He was the third son of Nicolò di Alvise of the family branch of San Polo and Maria Barbarigo di ...

. Some jewels made for Christian IV were designed by a Hamburg goldsmith, Jacob Mores (died 1612). His drawings include pieces with diamond-set initials and monograms. Such jewels with ciphers were depicted in Anne of Denmar's portraits, especially those by Paul van Somer,

Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger Marcus Gheeraerts (also written as Gerards or Geerards; 1561/62 – 19 January 1636) was a Flemish artist working at the Tudor court, described as "the most important artist of quality to work in England in large-scale between Eworth and van ...

, and in miniature by

Isaac Oliver Isaac Oliver (c. 1565 – bur. 2 October 1617) or Olivier was an English portrait miniature painter.Baskett, John. ''Paul Mellon's legacy: a passion for British art'' (Yale University Press, 2007) pp. 240-1. Life and work Born in Rouen, ...

. Portraits of other women in the queen's circle depict jewelled miniature cases or lockets with an "A", "AR" or "R" for "Anna Regina", including those of Margaret Hay, Countess of Dunfermline, and

Elizabeth Grey, Countess of Kent {{Infobox noble, type , name = Elizabeth Grey , title = Countess of Kent , image = File:Elizabeth Grey, Countess of Kent - Van Somer c.1619.jpg , caption = Portrait of Elizabeth Grey by Paul Van S ...

and Anne Livingstone. The miniature case in the Fitzwilliam has two monograms, one set with diamonds and the other in enamel. "CAR" and "AA", with the closed "S", the "s fermé" or "fermesse", a symbol used in correspondence of the period as a mark of affection. The "S" would also have alluded to Anne's mother, Sophie of Mecklenburg. The case also includes a "CC" cipher, for Christian IV. Heriot supplied a jewel "with an A and two CC sett with diamonds". In October 1620, King James gave one of Anne of Denmark's lockets to an ambassador from Savoy, the Marquis Villa. It was set with diamonds and contained portraits of the king and queen, the Elector Palatine, and his wife Elizabeth, and was worth about 2,000 crowns. Such jewellery, emphasising family relationships, was commissioned by Anne's family. A gold bracelet with crowned and enamelled "AC" ciphers surviving at

Rosenborg Castle Rosenborg Castle ( da, Rosenborg Slot) is a renaissance architecture, renaissance castle located in Copenhagen, Denmark. The castle was originally built as a country summerhouse in 1606 and is an example of Christian IV of Denmark, Christian IV's ...

may have been Christian IV's gift to his wife Anna Cathrine.

Goldsmiths and gifts

Anne of Denmark also obtained jewels in the 1590s from another Edinburgh goldsmith

, including a pair of bracelets set with gemstones and pearls, and a "tablet all diamonds" with a "carcan of diamonds and rubies". These were New Year's Day gifts from King James. Foulis and his partner

Robert Jousie Robert Jousie (or Joussie or Jowsie or Jossie; died 1626) was a Scottish merchant, financier, and courtier. Life Jousie was a cloth merchant based in Edinburgh with a house on the High Street or Royal Mile. He became an exclusive supplier of fa ...

were involved in collecting the King's English subsidy in London, and bought a sapphire engraved with Queen Elizabeth's portrait for Anne of Denmark in 1598 made by Cornelius Dreghe, an associate of

Abraham Harderet Abraham Harderet ( fl. 1604-1625), goldsmith and jeweller to Elizabeth I of England and Anne of Denmark Career Abraham Harderet was the son of Martin Harderet and Rachel Fontaine or Le Maçon, daughter of Robert le Maçon, Sieur de la Fontaine, ...

. Cornelius "Draggie" turned up in Edinburgh in 1601, attempting to set up a weaver's workshop to exploit generous subsidies for expert craftsmen, but the other weavers protested he was a lapidary, not a weaver. Other goldsmiths who supplied Anne of Denmark in England include;

Arnold Lulls Arnold Lulls (floruit 1580–1625) was a Flemish goldsmith and jeweller in London. He served the court and made several pieces intended as diplomatic gifts. Career He was born in Antwerp, and settled in London before 1585, and became a denizen of E ...

, William Herrick, John Spilman, Nicholas Howker, Abraham der Kinderen, and

who received an annual fee of £50 as the queen's jeweller. Spilman made a jewel with the "AR" cipher as the queen's gift to the Count of Aremburgh. Nicholas Howker made a chain which Anne of Denmark gave to the Spanish ambassador the Count of Villamediana as his parting gift in February 1606. It comprised gold snakes enamelled green, set with diamonds. Anne of Denmark gave another chain which had 86 elements including 22 green snakes set with small pearls and sparks of ruby to Anne Livingstone. In 1603 the

Earl of Rutland Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...

was sent to Denmark as ambassador to announce the successful

Union of the Crowns The Union of the Crowns ( gd, Aonadh nan Crùintean; sco, Union o the Crouns) was the accession of James VI of Scotland to the throne of the Kingdom of England as James I and the practical unification of some functions (such as overseas dip ...

. He bought four jewels in London for £75 as gifts for the Danish royal family, including a gold pelican set with an opal and wings studded with rubies which cost £9. Arnold Lulls made a jewel for Anne of Denmark intended as a gift for

Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain Margaret of Austria (25 December 1584 – 3 October 1611) was Queen of Spain and Portugal by her marriage to King Philip III & II. Life Margaret was the daughter of Archduke Charles II of Austria and Maria Anna of Bavaria and thus the paternal ...

Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, 2nd Baron Howard of Effingham, KG (1536 – 14 December 1624), known as Lord Howard of Effingham, was an English statesman and Lord High Admiral under Elizabeth I and James I. He was commander of the Eng ...

presented this jewel depicting the

Habsburg The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...

emblems of a diamond double eagle and golden fleece to the Queen of Spain in Madrid in May 1605. Anne gave jewels as gifts at christenings. She gave her lawyer Lawrence Hyde and his wife Barbara a diamond ring.

England and Queen Elizabeth's jewels

At the

in 1603, King James travelled south towards London leaving Anne of Denmark in Scotland. Scaramelli, a Venetian diplomat in London heard a rumour that Anne of Denmark had given away jewels, costume, and hangings to her ladies remaining in Scotland. In April 1603 King James ordered that some of Elizabeth's jewels, and a hairdresser

Blanche Swansted Blanche Swansted or Swanstead was a hairdresser and tirewoman to Elizabeth I, Anne of Denmark, and Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia, Princess Elizabeth. In 1603, she travelled to Berwick-upon-Tweed to meet Anne of Denmark, the queen consort of Ja ...

, should be sent to

Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...

so that Anne of Denmark would appear like an English queen as she crossed the border. James reiterated this request, explaining these jewels were to be selected by Elizabeth's household attendants for Anne's "ordinary apparelling and ornament". On 20 May a commission was appointed to inventory the remaining jewels in Mary Radcliffe's keeping and select the most suitable to be reserved as crown jewels. The remainder was returned to Radcliffe on 28 May. Over the coming year the remaining jewels were carefully examined and sorted. Lady Hatton petitioned to become keeper of the queen's jewels and to help dress her. Most of the jewels in Radcliffe's keeping were transferred to the new keeper, Lady Suffolk, or as "jewels of price" secured in the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...

. An inventory of some of Elizabeth's jewels made at this time included a brooch with a miniature of

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

placed under a diamond-set crown and other old pieces like a "pater noster" or

rosary The Rosary (; la, , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), also known as the Dominican Rosary, or simply the Rosary, refers to a set of prayers used primarily in the Catholic Church, and to the physical string of knots or b ...

of garnet, and a gold honeysuckle valued at £12 which may have a badge of

Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn (; 1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and of her execution by beheading for treason and other charges made her a key ...

. Many of Queen Elizabeth's jewels were kept by Mary Radcliffe ready for her to wear. On 13 May 1603 King James had asked her to go through the jewels with

Catherine Howard, Countess of Suffolk Katherine (or Catherine) Knyvett, Countess of Suffolk (1564–1638) was an English court office holder who served as lady-in-waiting to the queen consort of England, Anne of Denmark. Private life She was born in Charlton Park, Wiltshire, the ...

, presumably to make a selection for Anne of Denmark. A note in an inventory dated 19 May 1603 records that James selected a diamond-set gold crossbow on that day, perhaps to send to Anne of Denmark, who was later depicted wearing a crossbow jewel in her hair. The motif may be related to an

emblem An emblem is an abstract or representational pictorial image that represents a concept, like a moral truth, or an allegory, or a person, like a king or saint. Emblems vs. symbols Although the words ''emblem'' and '' symbol'' are often use ...

of Geffrey Whitney, who sees in the crossbow an allegory of the superiority of wit or ingenuity to brute strength. A crossbow jewel in Anne of Denmark's inventory, perhaps the same piece, had a red enamelled heart at the string. In response to the king's orders, jewels were taken from the

on 8 June 1603 and delivered to Lady Suffolk, who had been a keeper of Elizabeth's jewels, to give to Anne of Denmark. Anne of Denmark arrived in York on 11 June. A gift of chain of pearls sent north by James to their daughter Princess Elizabeth arrived at York. Anne admired the pearls and swopped them for a set of ruby buttons (which may have once belonged to

). Years later, Elizabeth gave the ruby buttons to

Frances Tyrrell Frances Tyrrel was an English courtier. She was a daughter of Edward Tyrrell of Thornton and Margaret, daughter of John Aston, and widow of Thomas Egerton of Walgrave. Her sister Bridget married the author William Sanderson or Saunderson. She ...

Lady Anne Clifford Lady Anne Clifford, Countess of Dorset, Pembroke and Montgomery, ''suo jure'' 14th Baroness de Clifford (30 January 1590 – 22 March 1676) was an English peeress. In 1605 she inherited her father's ancient barony by writ and became ''suo jure'' ...

noted that Lady Suffolk, who brought jewels from the Tower of London, was with the queen at Dingley on 24 June. Lady Suffolk joined Anne of Denmark's household and became the keeper of her jewels. The queen normally travelled wearing a

face mask The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human Personal identity, identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental d ...

to protect her complexion, but in June 1603 she rode towards London without a mask, in order to be seen by her new subjects, and Dudley Carleton wrote, as "for her favour she hath done it some wrong, for in all this journey she hath worn no mask". The French ambassador

Christophe de Harlay, Count of Beaumont Christophe de Harlay, Count of Beaumont (1570–1615) was a French politician and diplomat who served as ambassador to England. He was the son of Achillee de Harlay, seigneur de Beaumont (1504–1572) and Catherine de Thou. He married Anne Rabot in ...

thought the queen was a Catholic and heard that she secretly wore a little cross at her breast with a relic of the

True Cross The True Cross is the cross upon which Jesus was said to have been crucified, particularly as an object of religious veneration. There are no early accounts that the apostles or early Christians preserved the physical cross themselves, althoug ...

The circlet and the English coronation

Helena Snakenborg, Marchioness of Northampton, 1603

One of first formal events involving Anne and her jewels was a reception of her ladies and aristocratic women at

Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history. The original cast ...

on 2 July 1603, an event held in parallel with the installation of James'

Knights of the Garter A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

. The "great ladies" paid homage in turn, "most sumptuous in apparel, and exceeding rich and glorious in jewels". This was probably the day when Elizabeth Carey was sworn in as a lady of the privy chamber and "mistress of the sweet coffers". The coronation of James and Anne was held on 25 July 1603 at

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

, and Anne was provided with a jewelled circlet, made by the London goldsmiths John Spilman and William Herrick. The circlet included gemstones salvaged from Queen Elizabeth's jewels. The bill for making the circlet is held at the library of the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

Item, made a rich circulet of gould for the Queene, set with dyamonds, rubyes, saphires, emeraldes and pearles, for the fashion thereof __ cl li �150

An Order of Service mentions (in Latin) that her hair would be loose about her shoulders, with the gem-set gold circlet on her head. The circlet was described in detail in March 1630; "A circlet of gold new made for our late dear mother Queen Anne, having in the midst eight fair diamonds of various sorts, eight fair rubies, eight emeralds, and eight sapphires, garnished with thirty two small diamonds, thirty two small rubies, and three-score and four 4pearls fixed, and on each border thirty two small diamonds and thirty two small rubies". Despite Spilman and Herrick's work on the circlet and the sacrifice of Elizabeth's jewels, it seems to have made little impact on the diplomatic community, as Scaramelli and Giovanni degli Effetti reported that she went to her coronation on Monday 25 July 1603 with a plain band of gold on her head. A list of jewels requested by

William Segar Sir William Segar (c. 1554–1633) was a portrait painter and officer of arms to the court of Elizabeth I of England; he became Garter King of Arms under James I. Like other artists of the Tudor court, Segar was active in more than one medium ...

from the

Jewel House The Jewel House is a vault housing the British Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, Crown Jewels in the Waterloo Block (formerly a barracks) at the Tower of London. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994 and refurbished in 2012. Regalia ...

for the coronation mentions "a circle of gold for the Queen to wear when she goeth to her coronation", perhaps indicating that she did not wear the new circlet that King James had ordered. However, Benjamin von Buwinckhausen, a diplomat from the

Duchy of Württemberg The Duchy of Württemberg (german: Herzogtum Württemberg) was a duchy located in the south-western part of the Holy Roman Empire. It was a member of the Holy Roman Empire from 1495 to 1806. The dukedom's long survival for over three centuries ...

, described her seated in

wearing a heavy coronet set with precious stones. She was crowned with one of Elizabeth's "wearing crowns". The new circlet was added to the Crown Jewels in March 1606, but remained in Anne's keeping.

Jewels at court

In January 1604 a jewel was featured in ''

The Masque of Indian and China Knights ''The Masque of Indian and China Knights'' was performed at Hampton Court in Richmond, England on 1 January 1604. The masque was not published, and no text survives. It was described in a letter written by Dudley Carleton. The historian Leeds B ...

'' at

Hampton Court Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. The building of the palace began in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the chief ...

. It was sold to King James by

Peter Vanlore Sir Peter Vanlore (c. 1547 – 6 September 1627) was a Dutch-born English merchant, jeweller and moneylender in Elizabethan and Stuart England. Biography He was born circa 1547 in Utrecht, Netherlands, the third son of Maurits van Loor a ...

, and was perhaps a diamond jewel with a pendant pearl costing £760. At this time, Vanlore sold to James another jewel comprising a large table ruby and two lozenge diamonds, for which he received in part exchange a parcel of Queen Elizabeth's jewels. The parcel included pieces that had been in the keeping of another of Elizabeth's ladies in waiting, the late

Catherine Howard, Countess of Nottingham Catherine Howard, Countess of Nottingham ( Carey; c. 1547 – 25 February 1603), was a cousin, lady-in-waiting, and close confidante of Elizabeth I of England. She was in attendance on the queen for 44 years. Life Catherine Carey was the eldest ...

, a combined looking glass and clock with the figure of woman on a pillar wearing a table diamond on her forepart, and items taken from a ship regarded as a prize at sea. The parcel was valued at £5492-11s-2d and Vanlore received a further payment of £11,477 in February. Dudley Carleton heard the jewel in the masque cost James £40,000, more than twice this sum, and presumably an exaggeration. Later in January 1604 an inventory was made of other jewels from Elizabeth's collection still in the keeping of

Earl of Nottingham :''See also Earl of Winchilsea'' Earl of Nottingham is a title that has been created seven times in the Peerage of England. It was first created for John de Mowbray in 1377, at the coronation of Richard II. As this creation could only pass to ...

including brooches fashioned like winding serpents set with emeralds. A selection was made of a number of Elizabeth's jewels listed in the Stowe inventory (

British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...

Stowe 557) on 30 January 1604, presumably for sale or exchange. Wien Schatzkammer Deutscher Orden - Natternzungenkredenz

Francis Gofton, Auditor Gofton made a list of 29 jewels formerly in the

at the Tower of London which King James had given to Anne of Denmark on various occasions. He was rewarded with £20 in November 1614 for his work making inventories of jewels at the Tower over a decade. In December 1607 King James retrieved some pieces from the Jewel House and sent them to the goldsmiths William Herrick and

for refurbishment. He gave four pieces to Anne of Denmark; a cup made of unicorn's horn with a gold cover (believed to guard against poison) set with diamonds and pearls, a gold jug or ewer, a salt with a branch set with sapphires and serpent's tongues (really fossilized shark teeth, also a safeguard against poisoning), and a crystal chess board with topaz and crystal pieces. Anne of Denmark kept a chain or collar made up of three sorts of knots of diamonds, with a pendant like a gold key set with diamonds. This had been given to Elizabeth by the Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, Earl of Leicester in 1584. Anne gave it to her daughter Elizabeth, and she wears it in a portrait by Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt, Meirevelt now at the museum of Châlons-sur-Saône. Elizabeth of Bohemia pawned the chain in the 1650s and her son Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine, Charles Louis redeemed it. Another collar was made up of letters in "Spanish work", spelling out a Latin motto ''Gemma preciosior intus'' - a greater jewel within. At the centre were the Greek letters alpha and omega. This had been Thomas Heneage's gift to Elizabeth in 1589. Anne had it lengthened by John Spilman in July 1610, adding the components of another Spanish work collar. Then in April 1611 Anne ordered Spilman and Nicasius Russell to dismantle parts of it for jewels to adorn table salts and a gold bowl. James may have given the remaining collar to the Frances Stewart, Duchess of Lennox, Duchess of Lennox as a New Year's Day gift in 1622.

Ambassadors and jewels

The Venetian ambassador Nicolò Molin was granted an English coat of arms featuring the wheel of a watermill, punning on his name. He gave Anne of Denmark a gold ring with an aquamarine with the motto "Una gota de aqui de molyne", meaning a drop of water from the mill. Wiliam Herrick and Arnold Lulls were paid in October 1606 for pearls given by King James to Anne, and for "two pictures of gold set with stone" which she gave to the French ambassador

and his wife Anne Rabot. Ambassadors had regular audiences with Anne of Denmark, and their wives also came to see the queen. John Finet described a visit of Isabelle Brûlart, the wife of French ambassador Gaspard Dauvet, Sieur des Marets, at Somerset House, Denmark House in December 1617, although no gifts are mentioned. Anne and her ladies-in-waiting received gifts from ambassadors. In 1603, the French ambassadors, the Maximilien de Béthune, Duke of Sully, Marquis de Rosny and

, gave her a mirror of Venice crystal in a gold box set with diamonds, and a gold table clock with diamonds to Lucy Russell, Countess of Bedford, a gold box with the French king's portrait to Penelope Blount, Countess of Devonshire, Lady Rich and a pearl and diamond necklace to "Lady Rosmont". Rosny also gave a diamond ring to "Margaret Aisan, a favourite lady of the queen's bedchamber", this was

, a Scottish servant who lacked the aristocratic status of the other women. Juan Fernández de Velasco y Tovar, 5th Duke of Frías, Juan Fernández de Velasco, Constable of Castile, commissioned jewels in Antwerp as gifts to distribute at the English court in 1604. Against the current custom he tried to buy on a sale-or-return basis and was flatly refused. He gave jewels to prominent figures in Anna's houseshold likely to promote the Catholic cause, Anna Hay, Countess of Winton, Lady Anna Hay received a gold anchor studded with 39 diamonds, and Jean Drummond an aigrette studded with 75 diamonds, both pieces supplied by a Brussels jeweller Jean Guiset. King James and Anne sent a variety of gifts to Brussels in 1605, including deer, dogs, horses and caparisons, and Anne sent the Infanta

embroidered waistcoats and pillow-cases, which she politely declared were finer than any Spanish needlework. After the Gunpowder plot, the Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain, Queen of Spain sent an embassy to congratulate the royal family on their safe deliverance, bringing Anne a Spanish-style satin robe embellished with gilt leather, with 48 long gold tags or aglets (at 3 inches, longer than those used in England), with chains and necklaces of gold beads all filled with scented ambergris. Scent was a feature of Spanish diplomacy, Villamediana brought a perfumer in 1603. In January 1604 Marie de' Medici, Queen of France sent Anne of Denmark a cabinet inset with panels scented with musk and ambergris to make a "sweet savour". The drawers were full of flowers for setting in head attires and other jewels. A similar item was listed in 1619 at Somerset House, Denmark House, a "cabinet of pomander" containing a "curious suite of pomander" in a store room next to the little bedchamber. In May 1613 Anne went to Anne of Denmark and the spa at Bath, Bath to take the waters for her health. The ambassador of Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy, Savoy started to follow her bringing a gift of a crystal casket mounted with silver gilt, but gave up and returned to London. He had brought lions and other live beasts for King James.

Descriptions of the queen and her jewels

Ambassadors frequently described Anne of Denmark's magnificent appearance. The Venetian diplomats Piero Duodo and Nicolo Molin had an audience with Anne of Denmark at Wilton House in November 1603, she was seated under a canopy, covered with jewels and strings of pearls. The Constable of Castille saw Anne of Denmark at Whitehall Palace on 25 August 1604. She was sitting on a throne with a canopy or cloth of estate decorated with rubies, emeralds, and hyacinths watching dancing. On 28 August he had his formal audience with the queen who was attended by twenty beautiful Maids of Honour. The Venetian ambassador Zorzi Giustinian wrote that the queen and her ladies' pearls and jewels were a highlight of ''The Masque of Beauty''. Giustinian thought such an abundant and splendid display could not be rivalled by another royal court.

admired her pearls at the wedding of Princess Elizabeth in 1613, she wore "in her hair a number of pear-shaped pearls, the most beautiful in the world". She wore diamonds all over her white satin costume so that she appeared ablaze. The jewels were thought to be worth £400,000. In December 1617 Orazio Busino, the chaplain of Piero Contarini, described Anne of Denmark at Somerset House. She was seated under a canopy of gold brocade. Her costume was pink and gold, low cut at the front in an oval shape, and her farthingale was four feet wide. Her hair was dressed with diamonds and other jewels and extended in rays, or like the petals of a sunflower, with artificial hair. Ben Jonson mentioned jewels worn by nine female performers on 14 January 1608 at the "Throne of Beauty" in his account of ''The Masque of Beauty'', "the habit and dressing for the fashion was most curious, and so exceeding riches, that the throne whereon they sat seemed to be a mine of light, struck from their jewels and their garments". Anne wore a collar of diamonds and ciphers of "P" and "M" which had belonged to Mary I of England. Busino gave a description of the jewels and costume of aristocrats and ladies in waiting in the audience at the masque on 6 January 1617, Jonson's ''The Vision of Delight'';

every box was filled notably with most noble and richly arrayed ladies, in number some 600 and more according to the general estimate; the dresses being of such variety in cut and colour as to be indescribable; the most delicate plumes over their heads, springing from their foreheads or in their hands serving as fans; strings of jewels on their necks and bosoms and in their girdles and apparel in such quantity that they looked like so many queens, so that at the beginning, with but little light, such as that of the dawn or of the evening twilight, the splendour of their diamonds and other jewels was so brilliant that they looked like so many stars ... The dress peculiar to these ladies is very handsome ... behind it hangs wellnigh from the neck down to the ground, with long, close sleeves and waist ... The farthingale also plays its part. The plump and buxom display their bosoms very liberally, and those who are lean go muffled up to the throat. All wear men's shoes or at least very low slippers. They consider the mask as indispensable for their face as bread at table, but they lay it aside willingly at these public entertainments".

The audience on that night included

, Elizabeth Grey, Countess of Kent, Lady Ruthin, the Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke, the Alethea Howard, Countess of Arundel, Countess of Arundel, Pocahontas and Tomocomo. Costume worn at court was expensive, in December 1617 Anne Clifford gave Anne of Denmark a satin skirt with £100 worth of embroidery. In portraits, Anne of Denmark and her contemporaries are seen to wear jewels suspended from the ear by shoelaces, or black cords. As a male fashion, this use of laces was mocked by the poet Samuel Rowlands in 1609. Rowlands suggests that a "lowly minded youth" would crave the "shoe-string" of a courtesan to wear as a favour for his ear.

Decorative arts: table fountains, salts, and clocks

Attributed to Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger Anne of Denmark

The Welsh-born goldsmith John Williams (goldsmith), John Williams supplied a "fountain of silver gilt, well chased, containing one basin with two tops, one of them being three satyres or wild men, the other a woman with a sail or flag". The fountain had three taps or cocks decorated with mermaids. It was used at Somerset House, known in her time as "Denmark House". The Wild man, wild men were heraldic supporters of the Danish royal arms. A table fountain formerly thought to have belonged to Anne's sister-in-law Anne Catherine of Brandenburg, Anna Kathrine (1575-1612), wife of Christian IV, but now known to date from 1648, survives at

. It features the story of Actaeon and Diana and was designed to dispense distilled and perfumed waters. At Denmark House, she had a green enamelled palm tree with a crown and a Latin epigram in gilt letters on the queen's fruitfulness as matriarch of the Stuart succession, composed by her secretary, the poet William Fowler (makar), William Fowler, and based on his anagram of her name; "Anna Brittanorum Regina" - "In anna regnantium arbor". The anagram was printed in Henry Peacham (born 1578), Henry Peacham's ''Minerva Brittana'' (London, 1612), attributed to Fowler, with an image of an olive tree bearing the initials of her three children, Henry, Charles, and Elizabeth. The verse on the tree was:

Perpetuo vernans arbor regnantium in Anna,
Fert fructum et frondes, germine laeta vivo.
Anna's ever flourishing tree,
Bearing fruit and leaves, her happy life continues.

William Fowler's own translation was:

Freshe budding blooming trie,
from ANNA faire which springs,
Growe on blist birth with leaves and fruit,
from branche to branche in kings.

Sir Robert Cecil had referred to Anne of Denmark's children as "your royall branches" in May 1603. The figurative image of Anne of Denmark as a fruitful vine, an olive tree with four branches, was used in a speech made in Parliament after the Gunpowder Plot by Thomas Egerton, 1st Viscount Brackley as Lord Chancellor. The palm tree was admired and described by John Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar who visited London in 1613. The object seems to have been a salt combined with a clock, described in 1620 with other items of the queen's tableware scheduled for sale as; " a salt of gold in pieces, having a clock within crystal, the foot of same being gold triangle wise, the cover thereof being a castle, and out of the same castle a green tree, the flowers being diamonds and rubies in roses, the same clock salt and crystal garnished with gold, diamonds, and rubies, wanting a dial in the same clock". Another unusual clock at Denmark House was made in the form of a tortoise of silver-gilt, with 16 flat pearls and 11 smaller pearls forming the shell, with emeralds on the head, neck, and tail, and a clock mounted in its body. When Anne of Denmark was pregnant with her daughter Mary Stuart (1605–1607), Mary she moved in January 1605 for her confinement or lying-in to special lodgings at Greenwich Palace. A magnificent cupboard of gilt plate was provided for her Privy Chamber. She kept one piece for later use, a "jug of crystal garnished with silver gilt, with a phoenix in the top in a crown, the handle like a horse's head". Following the birth of Mary Stuart (1605–1607), Princess Mary, King James gave her a diamond jewel and two dozen buttons worth £1550, provided by

and Philip Jacobson (goldsmith), Philip Jacobson. In February 1612 Christian IV sent her a mirror framed in gold, sprinkled with diamonds, pearls and jewels.

The inventory of 1606

The inventory is held by the National Library of Scotland and includes over 400 items, including pieces inherited from Queen Elizabeth, and gifts from King James and

. It is not clear if any of the jewels had jewels of Mary, Queen of Scots, belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots. The inventory lists the jewels as they were kept, in numbered chests with individual index letters. Contemporary notes added to the inventory record that many pieces were broken up to provide gems to set in tableware. Such pieces were often given to ambassadors as gifts. A necklace of knots of pearls, some set with rubies, was given to the queen's daughter Mary Stuart (1605–1607), Princess Mary. After the child's death it was given to her nurse. A "feather" jewel with seven spriggs was deprecated because its stones were topazes set in imitation of diamonds and its pearls, though "fair and round", were Scottish. A note in the inventory shows that when it was dismantled for its gold the topazes were kept back to show the queen. Diamonds were taken from three bracelets when Anne wanted them for new aglet tags. She changed her mind and the diamonds were kept (for a time) in a chest with other loose stones and pearls. An "attire" for the queen's hair was described in detail; "An Attire for the heade made of wire with hair colour silk, having eleven spiggs, upon every sprigg a great Pearl fastened with silver wire, the middle pearl being the greatest, the gold not going through it, in weight __ 2oz 3dwt 21grs." A portrait medal struck in gold and silver, thought to commemorate her English coronation, represents her jewelled hairstyle in England. Some attires were supplied by tire-makers, shortly before leaving Scotland Anne appointed John Taylor as her tire-maker. Her young companion, Anne Livingstone, recorded the purchase of an attire in similar fashion for herself in 1604, "ane wyer to my haed with nyne pykis" (9 peaks), with a "perewyk of hair to cover the wyr". Livingstone was a member of the household of Princess Elizabeth, whose portraits show these wire framed attires. Anne of Denmark's inventory records gifts of jewels to Livingstone when she left the court and returned to Scotland to marry Alexander Montgomerie, 6th Earl of Eglinton, Sir Alexander Seton of Foulstruther, who was made Earl of Eglinton. A portrait of Anne of Denmark by Paul van Somer in the National Portrait Gallery, London shows a central jewel in the queen's hair possibly attached to the red ribbon-covered wire of the attire, or more likely pinned in the hair with a bodkin. It comprises a large table-cut diamond with a tuft of feathers, with a pear pearl and a ruby drop beneath. This may be the jewel called the "Portugal diamond" or the "Mirror of France". The "Mirror of Portugal" was acquired by Queen Elizabeth from António, Prior of Crato and re-used by Anne of Denmark with the "Cobham pearl". King James wore the Portugal diamond on his hat on 27 May 1603. The ruby may be the one listed in Elizabeth's 1587 inventory, "to be worne on the forehead". Anne's 1606 inventory includes, "A faire and great table Diamond being the Diamond of Portingale, set in a plaine thinne Collet of gold, with a very small carnation silk Lace [and] pearl pendant". The inventory notes that John Spilman added a gold bodkin shank or stalk. The Portugal diamond and the Cobham pearl were recorded later in the seventeenth century by drawings made by Thomas Cletcher, a jeweller of The Hague. Cletcher drew jewels belonging to Henrietta Maria during her exile. His album is held by the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. Jewels with an Annunciation scene and Diana with three nymphs and Actaeon, probably elements from the lockets given to Anne at baptism of Prince Henry in 1594, were listed together in 1606. The Annunciation was given to Anne Livingstone. Diana and Actaeon was scrapped by Nicasius Russell to make a basin and ewer in 1609. A jewel in the inventory, dismantled for its diamonds and gold in 1610, depicted a woman on the back of a monster "half a man and half a dragons taile". It was suspended by three chains from a gold knop. The piece may have been inspired by images such as Albrecht Dürer's enigmatic The Sea Monster, sea monster.

A ruby from the Mirror of Great Britain

King James gave Anne of Denmark the ruby from the jewel known as the 'Mirror of Great Britain' as a New Year's Day gift in January 1608 set in an aigrette with twenty eight small diamonds. The ruby may have been replaced by a diamond to make the 'Mirror of Great Britain' into a symmetric jewel, like the hat badge of King James later drawn by Thomas Cletcher. Contarini noted King James wearing a hat badge with 'five diamonds of extraordinary size' at dinner in February 1610, perhaps the 'Mirror of Great Britain' in this alternative configuration. The Mirror's pendant diamond was the famous Sancy.

Jewels, drawings, and Arthur Bodren

A note in the inventory mentions that Anne of Denmark came to the Jewel House herself on 21 July 1610 to select jewels. A letter dated 23 August 1618 gives an insight into the commissioning of jewels and the re-use of old pieces. It was sent by an unknown courtier to Arthur Bodren, a French servant and page of the bedchamber to Anne of Denmark who kept accounts. He gave money to Inigo Jones for the queen's building works at Greenwich Palace, Greenwich and Oatlands Palace, Oatlands. George Heriot delivered "little things" for the queen to "Arthur Bodrane" of the bedchamber. The writer had received a message and a "pattern", a drawing, made by Mr Halle for a new jewel. He went to the royal

to find suitable jewels and rubies to use in the new piece. An old diamond bracelet had the right size stones, but Nicasius Russell had already taken any suitable rubies to set in gold plate for the table. He found a "border", with larger diamonds to send to the queen for approval. Halle told him that would please the queen, who "did mislike of the greater diamonds in his pattern in regard they were too little". A note written in the 1606 inventory next to an entry for a diamond "girdle or border" identifies it as the piece selected for Bodren to send to Anne of Denmark at

in 1618. Arthur Bodren went on to serve Henrietta Maria. He died in 1632 and left legacies to several members of her household including 20 shillings each to Jeffrey Hudson and Little Sara. Contemporary drawings of jewels by a London goldsmith

survive in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Anne of Denmark pawned some of her most valuable diamonds in March 1615 for £3,000. The goldsmith John Spilman made record drawings of the cut of eleven stones and indicated the settings of two. He noted them as eight table diamonds set in gold enamelled black, one diamond resembling a glass window quarry, and two lozenge diamonds cut in facets.

Disposal of a royal collection

In her lifetime, Anne give jewels to her friends and supporters. Jewels and lockets that were gifts from Anne of Denmark are mentioned in wills and inventories. In 1640 the Laird of Glenorchy at Taymouth Castle, Balloch Castle had a "round jewell of gold sett with precious stanes conteining twentie nyne diamonds and four great rubbies, quhilk [which] Queene Anna of worthie memorie Queene of Great Britane France and Irland gave to umquhill [the late] Duncan Campbell of Glenorchy, Sir Duncane Campbell of Glenurquhy. Item ane gold ring sett with ane great diamond schapine [shaped] lyke a heart and four uther small diamonds, quhilk the said Queene Anna of worthie memorie gave to the said Sir Duncane". Anne of Denmark sent the "round jewel" to the Laird of Glenorchy in 1607 to wear in his hat. She did not leave a will bequeathing her jewels. In the years before her death, Prince Charles asked her to make her will, leaving her jewels to him, which did not please King James at all. The lawyer Edward Coke made a note at Denmark House on 19 January 1619 that she wished her "rich stuff, jewels, and plate" to be annexed to the crown, added to the Crown Jewels. An inventory of her jewels and plate was made after her death by Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl of Middlesex, Sir Lionel Cranfield on 19 April 1619. Anne had played the virginals, and the case of one instrument at Denmark House was made of green velvet embroidered with pearls. Soon after the inventory was made, the queen's French page Piero Hugon and the "Dutch maid Anna" were taken to the

accused of stealing jewels. George Heriot produced "models" or drawings of missing jewels which he had supplied to the queen, said to be worth £63,000. The goldsmith and financier Peter Vanlore advanced £18,000 on some of the remaining jewels to pay the costs of the king's summer progress. King James directed his officers to sell some minor items from Anne's collection and wardrobe in July 1619, including fabrics and gowns that had belonged to former queens. Some "jewels, precious stones, plate, and ornaments" had already been sold. The next sales were to include "loose and ragged pearls, some parcels of silver plate, together with broken and ends of silver, linen which hath been much worn, cabinets, remnants of stuff of all sorts, old robes and garments of former queens of this realm". Anne's collection also included some of the clothes of Henry VIII of England, Henry VIII. King James asked Cranfield to bring a selection of jewels to him from the Tower of London in March 1623, including the queen's fine pendant diamonds, and jewels "fittest for the wearing of women". In 1623 these and others jewels were sent to Spain during the Spanish Match, some with Francis Stuart (sailor), Francis Stewart including the "Portugal diamond". An inventory was made in May 1625 of a chest of her remaining jewels, including the circlet, the crown used at her Scottish coronation in 1590, and a head attire with nine great round pearls. Jewels including the circlet were acquired and sold in 1630 by James Maxwell, 1st Earl of Dirletoun. The crown of the Scottish queens, possibly made for

by John Mosman (goldsmith), John Mosman in 1540 was in the

in 1649, described as a "small crown found in an iron chest, formerly in the Francis Cottington, 1st Baron Cottington, Lord Cottington's charge". Charles I of England, Charles I gave Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange, Princess Mary a crystal casting bottle set with rubies and diamonds with a chain featuring his mother's "AR" cipher at her marriage to the William II, Prince of Orange, Prince of Orange on 30 April 1641.

Jewel thieves

Servants of Anne of Denmark were accused and convicted of stealing her jewels on several occasions, Jacob Kroger in 1594,

in 1608, Piero Hugon and "Dutch maid Anna" in 1619. Dorothea Silking, Dorothy Silken was alleged to have taken gilt plate. "Dutch maid Anna" was probably the favourite domestic servant "Mistress Anna" or Anna Kaas, who was said to have received the queen's valuable linen at her death, despite being "so mean a gentlewoman". "Danish Anna" was with the queen at

at her deathbed. A chest of the queen's jewels discovered at Denmark House in 1621 is mentioned in the royal jewel inventories, and 37 diamonds from these "secret jewels" were used to decorate a miniature of King James sent to Elizabeth of Bohemia. This find is sometimes connected with the theft by Piero Hugon and Danish Anna.Raymond Walter Needham, ''Somerset House: Past and Present'' (London, 1877), p. 80.

References

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External links