Coburg Eagle brooch

On February 10, 1840, Queen Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg Gotha. After the ceremony in Chapel Royal, Victoria presented each of her twelve train-bearers (the aristocratic women who held the train of her dress) with a brooch—this eagle brooch is one of the twelve that were designed by Prince Albert and presented by Queen Victoria before the group returned to Buckingham Palace for the reception. The jewelry house of R. & S. Garrard arranged for the brooch to be fabricated by Charles Augustus Du Vé on Maddox Street in London based on the design by the Prince. Each gold brooch is slightly different but features an eagle, the symbol of the House of Coburg, set with a turquoise body and outstretched wings, a diamond beak, and round ruby eyes, with pearls grasped tightly in its talons. Each material was selected for its symbolism: turquoise blue to evoke the color of forget-me-nots, rubies as symbols of passion, diamonds represented eternity, and pearls for true love. While royal bridesmaids typically received a gift, this design broke with tradition as the subject was usually a dove set with turquoise, and is a wonderful example of the couple's love of jewelry and sentimentality. Other examples exist in the British Museum and the Royal Collection Trust. This example of the brooch with extraordinary provenance is the first to enter an American museum collection and joins the MFA's outstanding collection of nineteenth-century Victorian-era jewelry.