Queen's Diamond Wattle Brooch Now On Display at Sydney Powerhouse Museum

By: Jan. 21, 2015
Enter Your Email to Unlock This Article

Plus, get the best of BroadwayWorld delivered to your inbox, and unlimited access to our editorial content across the globe.




Existing user? Just click login.

The Wattle Spray brooch, presented to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by the Australian

government during her 1954 Commonwealth tour, has returned to Australia as part of the Powerhouse Museum exhibition A fine possession: jewellery and identity, from 16 January. This exquisite and rare brooch, created especially for The Queen, symbolises the links between the Royal Family and Australia.

The brooch is often worn by The Queen during official engagements. Commissioned from William Drummond & Co in Melbourne, it is crafted from gold and diamonds, and depicts the national flower of Australia and the blossom of the tea tree.

The brooch will remain on display at the Powerhouse Museum for three months only, joining over 700 other rarely seen treasures in the A fine possession exhibition.

"It's a privilege to be able to share beautiful objects like the Wattle Spray brooch, generously lent by Her Majesty The Queen, and it speaks volumes to the calibre of the exhibition," said Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences Director, Rose Hiscock.

The brooch sits alongside pieces worn by high-profile Australians, including a diamond-studded 18th century ring from fashion designer Catherine Martin, spectacular 'Satine' neckpiece worn by Nicole Kidman in the Oscar-winning film Moulin Rouge, and a stunning Hollywood brooch worn by actress Cate Blanchett to the 2005 Academy Awards.

Royal Collection Trust curator Caroline de Guitaut will be presenting a public lecture on 17 January, highlighting the compelling history of the Royal Collection and focussing on her areas of expertise including jewellery, Fabergé and a number of noteworthy decorative highlights.

A graduate of Art History from Westfield College, University of London, Caroline is a specialist in Fabergé, jewellery, textiles and dress. She has written a number of publications including Fabergé in the Royal Collection (2003), Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration (2012), Royal Fabergé (2011) The Royal Tour (2009), Fabergé's Animals - A Royal Farm in Miniature (2010) andThe Queen's Coronation 1953 (2013), all published by Royal Collection Trust. She also frequently contributes articles in art journals, publications and exhibition catalogues.

A ticket to the lecture includes light refreshments and entry to A fine possession: jewellery and identity.


Vote Sponsor


Videos