Jewellers recreate historic necklace made from 1,000 pearls for Chatsworth exhibition

A historic necklace has been recreated by a jeweller – and will go on display at Chatsworth House.
The portrait of Bess of Hardwick in which she is wearing the necklaceThe portrait of Bess of Hardwick in which she is wearing the necklace
The portrait of Bess of Hardwick in which she is wearing the necklace

Derbyshire based C W Sellors has recreated a necklace made from no fewer than 1,000 pearls and worn by Elizabeth Cavendish, better known as Bess of Hardwick who was a notable figure of Elizabethan society.

Situated next to a portrait of her wearing it, the recreation also features no fewer than 1,000 pearls, hand-picked and individually strung to perfectly imitate the original.

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Rebecca Sellors, jewellery designer and director, said: “It was a big undertaking, but in the end we were very pleased with the result and we look forward to seeing it on display at Chatsworth for the Life Stories exhibition.”

The necklace and Bess of Hardwick portrait comes together to form one of nine pairings on display throughout the exhibition, with additional online programme exploring themes of legacy,

representation, and their connections to Chatsworth.

Throughout the Life Stories exhibition and online programme, visitors will share the stories of family members, servants, friends, and artists, as they’re invited to look at portraits, people, and the objects that they adored, collected and lived with.