Nancy Astor’s diamond tiara fetches £889,400 at auction

A Cartier turquoise and diamond tiara owned by the first woman to take a seat in the House of Commons has been sold for £889,400.

American-born Nancy Astor was elected in 1919 to represent Plymouth Sutton in Parliament and held the seat until she stood down in 1945.

London Auctioneers Bonhams said it was the first time the tiara had been on the market since it was bought by her husband Lord Waldorf Astor in 1930.

The auction house said it was worn by Lady Astor to the film premiere of City Lights at the Dominion Theatre in London in 1931.

Jean Ghika, Global head of jewellery at Bonhams, said the “exceptionally rare” tiara with “impeccable provenance” dates from when Cartier London was at the “height of its creative prowess”.

The tiara has single, rose-cut and brilliant-cut diamonds and three fluted turquoise plumes set with diamond stems.

The auction house had estimated a sale price of between £250,000 and £350,000.

During her time in government Astor successfully campaigned for the drinking age to rise from 14 to 18 in 1923 and advocated for the rights of women including the lowering of the voting age for women from 30 to 21 in 1928.

While she was the first woman to take up a seat in the House of Commons another woman was elected to the Commons a year before.

Constance Markievicz was successful in the 1918 general election, but as a member of Sinn Féin she did not take her seat, according to the House of Commons Information Office.