GOWNS AND JEWELS WORTH HALF A MILLION.

Shannon News, 12 March 1929, Page 1

GOWNS AND JEWELS WORTH HALF A MILLION.

WORN BY TITLED MANNEQUINS. Society women, acting as mannequins, recently staged one of the most costly and brilliant displays of jewellery and gowns ever seen in London., Four of the women, who included the Baroness Cederstrom. and Lady Horne, wife of Sir Allan Horne, an East India merchant and Controller of Munitions at Bombay during the latter part of the war, walked across the stage wearing jewellery worth £500,000. As a spectacle the parade moved the large audience at the League, of Mercy charity . matinees, held in St. Jamps ’ Theatre, to enthusiasm. Behind the scenes were two detectives in unobstrusive attendance, and the glittering table from which the ‘'mannequins” took their temporary ornaments was under the closest surveillance. Some of the “mannequins" wore jewels in their hats. Lady Horne wore a pearl necklace with diamond clasp worth £50,000, and also three diamond bracelets and two ruby rings. As a pageant of dress and jewellery it was remarkable. Those who saw the glittering display, which followed an “all star" programme, included Princess Mary, Viscount Laseelles, the Queen of Spain, and the Infantas Bcatriz and Maria Christina of Spain. The Queen and the Princess sat together in the Royal box, and the Infantas in the opposite box. As the Spanish- Royal car left the theatre door it was surrounded by a large crowd, who cheered the Queen and her daughters.