A silver gilt necklace suspending seven 19th century ivory disc opera and theatre passes....

A silver gilt necklace suspending seven 19th century ivory disc opera and theatre passes.

Throughout the 19th Century, Opera and Ballet subscribers were issued with admittance tokens. The famous Hollywood costume designer Edith Head made a silver gilt necklace of thirteen with these ivory discs, each engraved with the name of the subscriber, the valid year, theatre and seat allocation. It was bequeathed to Elizabeth Taylor and after her death in 2011 was sold by Christies at the famous sale of the Elizabeth Taylor Collection in New York for

300,000.

This necklace is a similar silver gilt copy and suspends seven discs. These include the pass for the Earl of Bristol (1769 - 1859) for 1831 and interestingly to his Opera box 69 ½. The other passes include the name Walter Trevelyn Esq., 1863, Lady Campbell 1841, C Filica Esq., E.H. Maltby Esq.