Jewels of 'Too Beautiful' Model Lady Wardington Fetch Strong Prices at Noonans

A Glimpse into Mid-20th Century Glamour

The personal jewelry collection of the late Margaret Audrey White, known as Lady Wardington, a prominent 1950s British fashion icon famously rejected by the BBC for being ‘too beautiful’, has been offered at auction at Noonans Mayfair. The sale, comprising jewelry, evening bags, and writing instruments, achieved a total of £121,240 ($161,721), with 28 out of 30 lots finding buyers.

Lady Wardington, born Margaret Audrey White in 1927, began her career after being scouted at the Elizabeth Arden salon on Bond Street. Her striking looks led to a high-profile modeling career. In 1951, she famously applied for a BBC announcer role but was turned down due to her ‘sophisticated and severely beautiful’ appearance, with executives concerned she might ‘alarm timid men’. This incident garnered significant media attention, with headlines proclaiming her ‘Too Beautiful!’

After her modeling days, White transitioned into fashion journalism, becoming the fashion editor of Housewife magazine. In 1964, she married Christopher Henry Beaumont ‘Bic’ Pease, 2nd Lord Wardington, a partner at stockbrokers Hoare Govett. As Lady Wardington, she also became an advocate for women’s financial independence, developing a money management course.

Highlights from the Collection

The collection, consigned by Lady Wardington’s direct descendants, offers a window into the mid-20th-century style of a glamorous society figure. Frances Noble, Head of Jewellery Department at Noonans, noted that many of the pieces were gifts from her husband, evidenced by the original cases from esteemed City of London jewelers, located near his offices.

The top-performing lot was a mid-20th-century gold and diamond-set evening purse, which sold for £28,000 ($37,000), significantly exceeding its pre-sale estimate of £15,000-£20,000. A second, similar gold evening purse also performed strongly, fetching £22,000 ($29,300) against an estimate of £10,000-£15,000.

Other notable pieces included:

• A circa 1950 diamond and platinum geometric bracelet, set with approximately 28 carats of diamonds. It sold for £15,000 ($20,300), meeting its pre-sale estimate. The bracelet comes in a case by Searle & Co. Ltd.
• A striking gem-set cluster brooch/pendant, described as one of the most appealing items, sold for £15,000 ($20,000), considerably surpassing its £4,000-£6,000 estimate. This versatile piece features yellow and blue sapphires, emeralds, aquamarine, and rubies, with old brilliant-cut diamond highlights.
• A diamond double-clip brooch/earrings, circa 1950, designed as a flowerhead and ribbon. This piece, set with approximately 5.50 carats of diamonds, sold for £6,000 ($8,000), exceeding its £4,000-£6,000 estimate. The two clips detach to form a pair of earrings. It was presented in a case from Thomas Wordley Ltd.

A pair of emerald and diamond ear pendants, each set with a Colombian pear-cut emerald within a surround of brilliant-cut diamonds, and a Georgian gold and agate bracelet were the only items not to sell.

The sale provided a significant opportunity for collectors to acquire pieces with strong provenance from a notable figure of mid-20th-century British society.