A rare Cartier turquoise and diamond tiara once owned by Nancy Astor, the first woman to take a seat in the House of Commons, is set to go under the hammer in London next month, with expectations it could sell for as much as £350,000.
The American-born politician, who represented Plymouth Sutton from 1919 to 1945, wore the striking tiara at high-profile events, including the 1931 film premiere of City Lights at the Dominion Theatre in London. Auction house Bonhams described the piece as “exceptionally rare” and cited its “impeccable provenance” as a key factor in its anticipated high value.
Crafted by Cartier in 1930, the tiara is being offered for public sale for the first time. It was originally purchased by Astor’s husband, Lord Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor, also American-born, who gave it to her during their marriage.
Jean Ghika, global head of jewellery at Bonhams, said the tiara dates from a period when Cartier London was “at the height of its creative prowess.” She added, “With impeccable provenance and a compelling marriage of Western and Eastern influences in the design, the tiara is exceptionally rare. We are honoured to have the opportunity to present it for sale for the first time in nearly a century.”
The tiara features single, rose-cut and brilliant-cut diamonds, and three fluted turquoise plumes set with diamond stems – a style reflecting Cartier’s Art Deco aesthetic of the time.
Nancy Astor, born Nancy Witcher Langhorne in Danville, Virginia, in 1879, moved to England in 1905 and met Waldorf Astor on a transatlantic voyage the same year. The couple married in 1906 and had five children. In 1919, when her husband was elevated to the peerage and moved to the House of Lords, Nancy Astor stood for election and won his vacated seat in the House of Commons, becoming the first woman to take up her position as an MP.
During her 26 years in Parliament, Lady Astor was a prominent advocate for women’s rights. She was instrumental in the passing of the Intoxicating Liquor (Sale to Persons Under 18) Act 1923, known as “Lady Astor’s Bill”, which raised the legal drinking age from 14 to 18. She also supported the Equal Franchise Act of 1928, which equalised the voting age for men and women, reducing the female voting age from 30 to 21.
Astor was re-elected seven times before retiring from political life in 1945. However, her legacy remains mixed. Campaigners have criticised her for alleged anti-Semitic and anti-Catholic views, and some have accused her of sympathising with Nazi Germany. Supporters, however, argue that she was a target of misogyny and that her views have been misrepresented, pointing to evidence that she opposed Nazism.
Lady Astor died in 1964 at the age of 84 at her home in Lincolnshire.
The auction of her tiara will take place at Bonhams in New Bond Street, London, on 5 June. The lot is expected to fetch between £250,000 and £350,000.
