189 - Royal interest: A French gold, enamel and pearl brooch, circa 1853, presented by Queen Marie-Amélie, wife of King Louis-Philippe, to the Irish novelist Mrs Samuel Carter Hall, the lozenge-shaped brooch of Renaissance revival design, composed of a continuous interlaced blue enamelled ribbon, centred with a single silver pearl, with rose-cut diamond highlights, the reverse engraved with inscription: ‘Amélie Reine des Français à Madame S. C. Hall, 1853’, (pearl untested), length 48mm. £4,000-£6,000

Royal interest: A French gold, enamel and pearl brooch, circa 1853, presented by Queen Marie-Amélie, wife of King Louis-Philippe, to the Irish novelist Mrs Samuel Carter Hall, the lozenge-shaped brooch of Renaissance revival design, composed of a continuous interlaced blue enamelled ribbon, centred with a single silver pearl, with rose-cut diamond highlights, the reverse engraved with inscription: ‘Amélie Reine des Français à Madame S. C. Hall, 1853’, (pearl untested), length 48mm. £4,000-£6,000 --- Provenance: Three handwritten cards accompany the brooch. It was gifted by Sanford C. Rochat, Samuel Carter Hall’s nephew, thence to Edith E. Hoseason (1881-1964), wife of William Sandford Hoseason at Christmas 1911. Thence by family descent until at least 1962. The brooch was exhibited at Wartski, St James, London: ‘The Brooch, from Function to Fantasy from 1200 BCE to the Contemporary’, 1 - 12 October 2025, catalogue no. 58. A copy of this exhibition catalogue accompanies this lot. Queen Marie-Amélie (1782-1866), formerly Princess Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily, was the consort of Louis-Philippe (1773-1850), the last King of France. King Louis-Philippe reigned from 1830-1848 until the outbreak of Revolution forced him to abdicate. The French Royal family fled to England, spending the remainder of their lives in exile with Queen Victoria offering them the use of Claremont House, in Surrey. Anna Maria Fielding (1800-1881), writing professionally as Mrs. S. C. Hall, was a prolific 19th century Irish novelist, playwright and philanthropist. Born in Dublin, she moved with her widowed mother to London in 1815, marrying the journalist and art critic Samuel Carter Hall in 1824. A versatile writer and editor, Mrs Hall published over 250 works, including portrayals of Irish culture, historical romance novels, children’s books and successful stage plays. She was the editor for popular periodicals such as Sharpe’s London Magazine, and regularly contributed to the influential Art Journal, her husband being the founding editor from 1839-1880. Around 1851, the Halls moved to Addlestone, Surrey, living at Firfield House. Both were by now celebrated writers and entertained many of the literary personalities of their day, including Charles Dickens. Addlestone was only a few miles from Claremont House. During the 1850s and 1860s, they often visited the Claremont estate, documenting the lives of the area’s notable inhabitants. Mrs Hall’s visits to the estate coincided with the period where Queen Marie-Amélie was grieving the death of King Louis Philippe who died in 1850. In 1859, the Royal Academy hosted exhibitions of early photography, which included a famous portrait series of Queen Marie-Amélie and her family at Claremont. The Halls were actively involved in promoting these artists and photographers, so their circles would most certainly have intersected with those of the French royal family. A passionate activist for social reform throughout her life, Mrs Hall championed women’s rights and was instrumental in fundraising to establish major London charities, including the Brompton Hospital for Consumption. Mrs Hall died at East Molesey in 1881, and was buried in Addlestone Church. Demonstrating the high regard she was held in, Queen Victoria famously sent a wreath and a gracious message of condolence to be placed at her funeral. Condition Report Enamel work in very good condition, just a few slight surface scratches. Gross weight 19.3gm. ------ For more information, additional images and to bid on this lot please go to the auctioneer's website, www.noonans.co.uk