The tiara was made by Carrington in London for Phyllis Elinor Turner (1893-1958) for her presentation at court, possibly at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, before her marriage to Gilbert Maxwell Adair Graham on 19 June 1913. Phyllis and her brother Arthur Turner were born, brought up, and lived their lives in Porto, amongst the 1000 strong Anglo-Portuguese community. She worked tirelessly for poor relief charities in the Douro Valley and was made a Dame of the Order of Christ of Portugal for her charitable work.

During World War I, Gilbert Maxwell Adair Graham was on the Staff of the Quartermaster General Department at the War Office and received an OBE in 1918 and a CBE in 1919. Gilbert's Scottish family had long trading links with Portugal starting in the late 18^th century. Their introduction to the port business came in 1820 when John Graham exported 27 barrels of port to Glasgow in lieu of an unpaid debt. 

By the 1880s the Graham family's port trading was so successful they launched the W. & J. Graham port business. The Graham family purchased their own Portuguese estates in 1890, the Quinta dos Malvados vineyards in the Douro Valley, in order to produce their own port grapes. After many successful years in the port trade, the Graham family sold their remaining share of the W. & J. Graham business in 1970. In subsequent decades decedents of the Graham family have brought other vineyards Douro Valley and have set up a new successful port business with their brand, Churchill's Port.

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Auction Details

Fine Jewellery, Silver and Luxury Accessories to include Private Collections of Modern British Silver, Precious Boxes and Anglo-Indian Silver
Thursday 7 July 2022 | 10.30am
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

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VIEWING:

• Viewing in London (highlights only):
  16-17 Pall Mall, St James's, London SW1Y 5LU
  • Monday 20 & Tuesday 21 June: 10am-5pm
• Viewing in Donnington Priory (full sale):
  Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE
  • Sunday 3 July: 10am-2pm
  • Monday 4 July: 10am-5pm
  • Tuesday 5 July: 10am-5pm
  • Wednesday 6 July: 10am-5pm
  • Day of sale: no viewing
• Remote Viewing Service | Available from Sunday 3 July.
• Our specialists will be providing detailed conditions reports and additional images as requested.