A Serious Guest Etiquette Breach

From the Devonshire Parure: A stomacher, circa 1856. Featuring gold, enamel, diamonds, carnelian, onyx, garnet, jacinths, lapis lazuli, plasma, and sardonyx, 30.2 x 19.0 cm.
–Photo source, Pinterest

American Woman’s Display

An interesting story of how an American woman duped the Court of Russia has just leaked out. At these Royal balls, wealth and luxury run riot and the Russians are very proud of their display, says the Delineator. 

To be outdone by a foreigner is, to them, almost a disgrace. At a recent Court ball an American woman, now a Duchess in England, outdid the Russians one season, making a tremendous sensation, so loaded down was she with her great tiara and high dog collar, her stomacher and ropes of famous pearls that she rivaled even the Empress. Her gems drew admiration from every one. This proved a great embarrassment to the English ambassador, who realized what a serious breach of etiquette it was. 

It was some time afterward that a jeweler in Paris, bursting with pride over the achievement, told how he had gone to London to make imitations of the celebrated jewels, especially to be worn at this St. Petersburg ball, the Duchess being afraid to take the genuine ones upon such a long journey. —Lompoc Journal, 1910

💎Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia