A cultured pearl four row necklace with Victorian diamond clasp, the late Victorian pierced floral clasp set with graduated old cut diamonds, approximately 5.90 carats total, to four rows of graduated cultured pearls measuring 8.4mm to 10.2mm, shortest length 32cm including clasp, 157.6g gross This necklace clasp belonged to Frances Laura Spencer-Churchill (née Charteris), Duchess of Marlborough (1915-1990), the sister of novelist Hugo Charteris and Ann Charteris, wife of Ian Fleming. Laura's first marriage was to Major Walter Francis David Long, 2nd Viscount Long in November 1933. They divorced in 1942, whilst Laura was serving as an auxiliary nurse for the Royal Navy, during World War II. Frances' second marriage was to William Humble Eric Ward, 3rd Earl of Dudley in February 1943, although subsequently they were divorced in 1954. In 1960, Frances married for a third time to Michael Temple Canfield, rumoured to be the illegitimate son of George Edward Alexander Edmund Windsor, 1st Duke of Kent, and they remained married until his death in 1969. In 1972, Frances married for a fourth and final time to Lt.-Col. John Albert Edward William Spencer-Churchill, 10th Duke of Marlborough, son of Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough and Consuelo Vanderbilt. Laura died in 1990 aged 74 in Marylebone, London.The necklace and diamond clasp offered here is by direct family descent.