Blog – Katie Callahan & Co.

Great Jewelry Collectors: Mrs. George Washington Kavanaugh

April 12, 2019

Great Jewelry Collectors: Mrs. George Washington Kavanaugh — Mrs. Kavanaugh in her home in New York.

There are great jewelry collectors with fantastic pedigrees and great class. And then there was Mrs. George Washington Kavanaugh. Born Maria Magdalena Muller in Richmond, Virginia, she first married William Haberle, who was a brewery heir from Syracuse. Little is known about how she met Mr. Haberle or for how long they were married. But by all accounts, they didn’t lead a very glamorous life, instead living in a drab, typical upper middle class Queen Anne house on Prospect Avenue in Syracuse.

Wedding Wednesday: Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd

April 10, 2019

Wedding Wednesday: Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd — Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd. This was the third marriage for each of them.

The third time is a charm. That’s what they say, right? For Elizabeth Taylor, she thought she’d found true love with husband number three, Mike Todd. Fresh from marriage number two, she fell hard for the 47 year old Todd (she was only 24). He was also twice divorced. What drew Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd together? Was is the multiple marriages and an understanding of what happens when a marriage falls apart? Was it her beauty that drew his to her? Maybe it was the engagement ring that won her over (see it below). Maybe it was his larger than life personality. Sadly, we’ll never know.

Royal British Tiaras: The Fife Tiara

April 9, 2019

Royal British Tiaras: The Fife Tiara — The Fife Tiara

I’m back with the final chapter in my visit to London and Kensington Palace, where I got to see the three tiaras on display there, as part of the Victoria Revealed Exhibit. And I have to say, this is my favorite chapter. And favorite tiara of the three. In fact, one of my top three tiaras… ever. Yes. Ever. The Fife Tiara.

Great Jewelry Collectors: Mary Goelet Innes-Ker

March 29, 2019

Great Jewelry Collectors: Mary Goelet Innes-Ker — Mary Goelet Innes-Ker, the 8th Duchess of Roxburghe, wears a tiara with lozenge-shaped designs at the 150 Years Ago Ball in London, June 1912.

The Gilded Age. It was a time of plenty but for many it was…. well, a time of PLENTY. There were haves and have nots. And then there were the have more than you can imagines. Mary Goelet came from a family in the last category. One of the wealthiest heiresses of the time, back when American heiresses were marrying British and Scottish nobility because they had everything else here in America but a title, Mary Goelet Innes-Ker was the cream of the crop.

Wedding Wednesday: Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding

March 27, 2019

Wedding Wednesday: Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding — Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding at Caxton Hall, London for their wedding ceremony.

Love will find a way, as the saying goes. Even when that love is 20 years your senior. Or junior, depending on who your asking. Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding married at Caxton Hall in London on February 21, 1952. No matter that she had been divorced barely a year at that point (the same for him). No matter that he was also 20 years her senior. When it’s love, it’s love. Or so they say.

Royal British Tiaras: Queen Victoria’s Emerald Tiara

March 26, 2019

Royal British Tiaras: Queen Victoria's Emerald Tiara — The tiara in its full glory. Photo: Historic Royal Palaces

Oh to have a husband that loves to dabble in amazing jewelry creations and then gift them to me. Alas, I do not have such a husband. Queen Victoria did, however, and good ol’ Albert created gorgeous pieces for her, including what we now call Queen Victoria’s Emerald Tiara, to match some other amazing emerald jewels he’d made for her. Let’s discuss, shall we?

Great Jewelry Collectors: Princess Salimah Aga Khan

March 22, 2019

Great Jewelry Collectors: Princess Salimah Aga Khan — Princess Salimah Aga Khan

Last week I introduced you to Gabriella Princess zu Leiningen, a woman who married well (twice) and had the jewelry collection to prove it. Her last husband, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, had been married before and was no stranger to bestowing lovely women with amazing jewels. So, today I want to introduce you to…. his first wife, Princess Salimah Aga Khan.

Wedding Wednesday: Elizabeth Taylor and Nicky Hilton

March 20, 2019

Wedding Wednesday: Elizabeth Taylor and Nicky Hilton — Elizabeth Taylor and Nicky Hilton after their wedding.

Every wild story has a beginning. And an end. The history of Elizabeth Taylor’s husbands, all seven of them, is truly a wild story. One that started when she was merely 18 years old with a hotel financier (and Paris Hilton’s great uncle) named Conrad “Nicky” Hilton. Here’s their story.

Royal British Tiaras: The Fife Fringe Tiara

March 19, 2019

Royal British Tiaras: The Fife Fringe Tiara — Princess Louise in her Fife Fringe Tiara.

There are tiaras that are instantly recognizable (we’ve featured several that fit into that category). And then there are tiaras who’s style was so fashionable “everyone” had to have one. But then, that made it hard to distinguish one from one another. Such an unfortunate problem to have, right? And today’s #TiaraTuesday feature, The Fife Fringe Tiara, is one of the latter.

Great Jewelry Collectors: H.S.H Gabriella Princess zu Leiningen

March 15, 2019

Great Jewelry Collectors: H.S.H Gabriella Princess zu Leiningen — The Princess wearing the magnificent emerald and diamond necklace by Cartier that was auctioned off in 2016.

What’s the easiest way to amass an amazing jewelry collection? Well, maybe not the easiest, but the quickest way is to marry one of the most wealthy men in the world. When money is no object, it appears like jewels just magically fall from the sky. Or Cartier. Just ask Gabriella Princess zu Leiningen. She married His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, 49th Imam of the Ismaili community, international entrepreneur and horse breeder, and also the founder of the Aga Khan Development Network. And then she divorced him. What happened next was the stuff of legends.

Wedding Wednesday: Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw

March 13, 2019

Wedding Wednesday: Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw — Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw on their wedding day in 1949.

It’s not often that we see romance last for long in Hollywood beyond the silver screen. But Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw were the exaction to that rule. Married in 1949 (second marriages for them both) they were married 54 years before Peter died of heart failure in 2003.

Great Jewelry Collectors: Diana, Princess of Wales

March 8, 2019

Great Jewelry Collectors: Princes Diana — Diana in the Spencer Tiara. Photo: Getty Images

She needs no introduction but just in case you’re reading this fifty years after publication, we’ll clue you in. Diana, Princess of Wales was an amazing woman who gone way too soon. A gentle soul who chose to hold hands with the sick and stand side by side with the poor, she had a jewelry collection that rivaled her true beauty. There are many pieces we could cover, but we’ll hit what we think are the highlights here. And we’ll start with a family piece, The Spencer Tiara. She chose it to wear in her wedding over the Cambridge Lover’s Knot, which had been offered by the Queen. The tiara is still in the family, belonging to her brother, the current Earl Spencer.

Wedding Wednesday: Rita Hayworth and Dick Haymes

March 6, 2019

Wedding Wednesday: Rita Hayworth and Dick Haymes — Rita and Dick cut into a large wedding cake presented to them by the Sands Hotel (Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images)

They say the third time’s a charm. But that’s not always the case. Actually, in the case of Rita Hayworth, it appears not the third, fourth nor fifth time sealed the deal. But we find it interesting that she was married to four of her five husbands for five years each. The one exception: Dick Haymes, to whom she was only married for two. And now we know why. Here’s the story of Rita Hayworth and Dick Haymes.

Royal British Tiaras: The Teck Crescent Tiara

March 5, 2019

Royal British Tiaras: The Teck Crescent Tiara — Princes Mary Adelaide in the Teck Crescent Tiara.

Do you have any pieces of jewelry in your jewelry box that you haven’t worn in over eighty years? We didn’t think so. But if you’re the British Royal family and we’re talking about the Royal jewelry vaults… well, maybe things just get a bit lost in there. Apparently the Teck Crescent Tiara is holed up inside, just waiting for the light of day.

Great Jewelry Collectors: Maria Félix

March 1, 2019

Great Jewelry Collectors: Maria Félix — Maria Félix with some of her many jewels.

Once called the “Supreme goddess of Spanish language cinema,” by the New York Times, Maria Felix was no doubt a super star. Maybe not here in the US, but in Mexico and in her adopted France, she was a mega star. And mega stars need? Mega jewels, of course.

Wedding Wednesday: Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu

February 27, 2019

Wedding Wednesday: Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu — Elvis and Priscilla at their wedding in Las Vegas.

She was the woman who on May 1, 1967, married the world’s most eligible bachelor. Unless you’re under the age of ten or have lived in a cave the last 50 years, you know who I’m talking about. The groom maybe more so than bride but she’s still alive and kicking…. and he isn’t. What famous couple could this be? Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu, of course.

Royal British Tiaras: The Boucheron Loop Tiara

February 26, 2019

Royal British Tiaras: The Boucheron Loop Tiara — Queen Mary’s Boucheron Loop Tiara

Another one bites the dust. It was a common refrain when discussing Queen Mary and her tiaras. Just when folks would fall in love with one of her lovely tiaras, she’d get a wild hair and have it dismantled to make a different piece of jewelry. And so goes the Boucheron Loop Tiara.

Great Jewelry Collectors: Andy Warhol

February 22, 2019

Great Jewelry Collectors: Andy Warhol — The rare ‘Beribboned Heart’ bangle bracelet by René Boivin originally created for Millicent Rogers and later owned by Andy Warhol. Photo: Christie’s

When you hear the name Andy Warhol, you think Campbell’s Soup Cans and pop art. Most of us don’t think of fine jewelry, much less an extensive collection that rivaled the most well known of socialites.

Wedding Wednesday: John Lennon and Yoko Ono

February 20, 2019

Wedding Wednesday: John Lennon and Yoko Ono — John and Yoko arm in arm, proudly holding up their marriage license.

Did she break up the band or didn’t she? That’s been the big question for nearly five decades. John Lennon and Yoko Ono met in November of 1966 at an art gallery opening in London where Ono’s work was soon to be on exhibit. Was it love at first sight? Who’s to say. But it was certainly a whirlwind and sometimes controversial relationship.

Royal British Tiaras: The Delhi Durbar Tiara

February 19, 2019

Royal British Tiaras: The Delhi Durbar Tiara — The Delhi Durbar Tiara
Photo: Getty Image

We can always count on Queen Mary when it comes to fabulous tiaras. That woman had a penchant for turning something lovely into one heck of a statement piece. And I’m fairly certain she never ran into a jewel she didn’t like. At least for a while. In today’s episode of #TiaraTuesday, we’ll discuss one of her grande dame tiaras: The Delhi Durbar Tiara. Buckle up, Buttercup. We have quite a ride ahead of us.

Great Jewelry Collectors: Countess Albina Du Boisrouvray

February 15, 2019

Great Jewelry Collectors: Countess Albina Du Boisrouvray — An outstanding diamond necklace.

Albina Du Boisrouvray is an anomaly. A woman from incredible means, who gave up a significant part of it, including some otherworldly jewels, to help those with nothing.

Wedding Wednesday: Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones

February 13, 2019

Wedding Wednesday: Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones — Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones on their wedding day.

We wouldn’t be doing Wedding Wednesday justice if we didn’t bring you the first royal wedding to be televised. Princess Margaret, the sister of the current Queen Elizabeth and Antony Armstrong-Jones married at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 1960 in front of 2000 guests and hundreds of millions of TV viewers worldwide. But theirs wasn’t to be an easy marriage and it had actually already gotten off to a rocky start.