Tiaras: A History of Splendour

Archive photographs from Boucheron and Cartier show jewels of great originality which have now been dismantled

Tiaras have always inspired a great fascination and the most beautiful and influential women have been painted, photographed and admired whilst wearing them. Even in the twenty-first century they are still worn and continue to inspire special poise and elegance.

This lavishly illustrated book includes new photographs of a variety of Royal tiaras together with those of French and Russian Imperial provenances. Geoffrey Munn has been granted special access to the photographic archives of many famous jewellers, including Cartier, Boucheron and Fabergé, for his research. Other makers include Castellani, Fouquet, Garrards, Giuliano, Lalique, and Tiffany.

Among the contemporary pieces illustrated are tiaras belonging to Jamie Lee Curtis, Vivienne Westwood, Elton John and Madonna, and designed by by Slim Barratt, Galliano and Versace.

A fascinating text and over 400 illustrations provide an exhaustive history of the tiara
The majority of photographs and related material are illustrated here for the first time and gathered from private collections over three decades. Included are photographs of tiaras from many Royal collections, including three designed by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria