We were at the Tower of London yesterday for the Federation of Small Businesses' 2023 Small Business Awards and as we walked past the Tower gift shop an image caught our eye...
Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry Viii, was a famous resident of the Tower of London and lost her head at the gallows alongside the Tower. So it's not surprising to see her image when visiting there. But it wasn't her face that caught our eye, but her monogram necklace.
She's wearing a pearl necklace with a large gold B pendant, proudly proclaiming her family surname. Like any good monogram, it speaks volumes about her character and personality. Despite being married to one of the most powerful men on the planet, she was wearing her family surname initial loud and proud.
The image above is based on one of two 16th century oil paintings of Anne that can be found at the National Portrait Gallery. They both were painted by unknown artists sometime between 1533-1536. So we can be pretty sure the clothes and jewellery are authentic.
Needless to say, it makes our collective heart sing here at Initially London to see that monogrammed jewellery was an important part of the culture of the early 1500s. It's the history and stories behind old monograms like this that inspire our work today.
If you would like your own Anne Boleyn-style monogram necklace, you can purchase your own initial from the Tower of London's online shop, www.historicroyalpalaces.com:
Or if you want something a little more modern, check out our monogram necklaces by clicking here.
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