Onyx cross belonging to ballerina Marie Taglioni (1804-1884).

Bold onyx cross

Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest

In an envelope marked in Margaret Rolfe's hand: "List of the souvenirs. Madame Taglioni gave me this pretty note paper" was a list including the cross: "Box of Marie Taglioni's souvenirs. Private property of Margaret Amy Rolfe given to her by her grandmother.
1. Onyx Cross cut out of an extra big slab of onyx. Very fine. (S.807-2001)
2. Ear-rings of jet and Rhine Stones. (S.808:1/2-2001)
3. Garnet drop ear-rings. (S.809:1/2-2001)
4. Blue glass ear-rings with gold stars. (not received)
5. Glove button-hook" (unnumbered)
The cross 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.807-2001