Charms belonging to ballerina Marie Taglioni (1804-1884). Coral and ivory

Eight tiny charms each with a gold ring at the upper edge threaded onto a single gold ring; seven are of coral and represent a mouse, Pulcinella, an Egyptian Pharoah, a heart, an acorn, an urn and a graduated 'spike'; and ivory talisman charm.

Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest

The charms are is part of a unique collection of memorabilia and personal effects which evoke the legendary ballerina Marie Taglioni. Among it was jewellery both personal and stage, dating from all periods of her career.
A collection of Taglioni memorabilia was amassed by Margaret Rolfe, the granddaughter of Taglioni's closest friend in London, Mrs Boggs Rolfe; she attended Taglioni's dancing classes and received many gifts of Taglioni memorabilia, both from Taglioni herself and from her grandmother. She kept these, with a series of related notes, in various boxes and annotated envelopes (filed separately). These she passed to Cyril Beaumont, probably for the London Archives of the Dance (a number of the objects were referred to in "The London Archives of the Dance and some of its Treasures" by Cyril Beaumont, Ballet Annual, first issue, Adam & Charles Black, London, 1947, p110); the Archives never achieved an independent home and part of the collection, including the Taglioni memorabilia, was stored with Cyril Beaumont, where it became inextricably mixed with his own collection and came to the Museum as part of the Cyril Beaumont Bequest.

S.805-2001