WASHINGTON — At Hillwood Museum, Estate and Gardens, Executive Director Kate Markert fully expects to be cleaning nose prints off the glass cases in the exhibit space all summer long.
“This is the kind of show that you’re going to want to look at very close up,” Markert said.
How else would one study a 1961 turquoise and diamond necklace from Harry Winston, or a 1928 emerald and diamond brooch from Cartier, both of which belonged to one of America’s wealthiest women?
On Saturday, June 10, “Spectacular Gems and Jewelry from the Merriweather Post Collection” opens to the public at Hillwood. The exhibit includes 50 pieces of jewelry that Marjorie Merriweather Post — daughter of C.W. Post, of Post cereals — collected from the 1920s through the 1970s.
To be clear, this is not just any old album of jewelry. The collection includes a pair of diamond drop earrings that once belonged to Marie Antoinette and were later reset by Harry Winston. There’s also a ruby and diamond floral brooch made by Van Cleef & Arpels, and a rare 31-carat emerald ring, also from Harry Winston.
Then, there’s the collection of Cartier — diamond necklaces, ruby bracelets and a 250-carat Indian emerald brooch.
“[Merriweather Post] started off with Cartier in the 1920s and she was the biggest collector of Cartier in America,” said Markert, who added that although Merriweather Post collected jewelry much like artwork, she wore every piece.
“She really lived a sort of curated life.”
“Spectacular Gems and Jewelry from the Merriweather Post Collection” is on display through Jan. 1, 2018. For more information on the exhibit, visit Hillwood’s website.
