Polesden Lacey is an estate with an old Edwardian mansion, owned by Margaret Greville, one of the most popular persons of high society in London at the beginning of the 20th century. The guests of her parties were King Edward VII and Queen Mary, Winston Churchill and other leading politicians, writers and cultural figures of Europe and America.

The socialite is still known today for her passion for jewelry and untold riches, and the current representatives of the royal family appear in public in jewelry that once belonged to Lady Margaret.
“Gift giving was a key social ritual in Edwardian high society, so Mrs. Greville’s collection was also a sign of her closeness to the wealthy and powerful people she influenced”, notes Richard Ashbourne, assistant curator of the exhibition.
Opening for the first time since the pandemic, the rooms at the National Trust Mansion are displaying more than 100 treasures to the public, many of which were Greville gifts from royalty, aristocracy and heads of state. Among them are the creations of the jewelry house of Carl Faberge. First of all, this is an egg with a tiny snowflake-shaped diamond clasp and an elaborately carved jasper owl on a perch, first attributed to Faberge.

Faberge egg on display at the Polesden Lacey estate - London Airport Transfers — Faberge egg on display at the Polesden Lacey estate – London Airport Transfers

Another interesting item from the legendary company was a miniature frog carved from Siberian jade, a gift from Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich, grandson of Emperor Nicholas I. And ivory chess and a round box made of blue enamel and gold were gifts from Queen Mary and Edward VII.
Then the Faberge jewelry house was experiencing its heyday, and its products all over the world became a symbol of Russian luxury and elegance. Margaret Greville was one of the regular customers of the London boutique: in all the time she purchased 31 items. We talked more about the first foreign branch of Carl Fabergé’s firm in our article, as well as in a video review from the recent exhibition of the Victoria and Albert Museum Fabergé in London: Romance to Revolution.
Exquisite products of the Russian jewelry house side by side at the exhibition with rare ceramics, silverware and other art objects. Key examples include animal figurines from Cartier, a brooch worn by Greville at the coronation of Edward VII, a pair of pottery horse heads from China, Staffordshire porcelain tulips, and French, Italian and Dutch paintings such as a self-portrait by Frans van Mieris and a painting by Henry Reburn.

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