Collection of Royal memorabilia to go on show

Glinting in the sunlight, the intricate coral and diamond earrings would catch anyone's eye.

However, it is only when you look at the stunning photo next to them that you realise they used to be worn by Princess Margaret.

For almost 25 years David Johnson — managing director of Rex Johnson Jewellers — has built up a collection of items which were once owned by members of the Royal Family.

And from April 23 — 30 the items David has bought will be on show for all to see at his Birmingham store in Corporation Street. A simple pair of binoculars and case cost David £5,500 because of the 'M' inscribed on them and the picture of Princess Margaret using them.

His first purchase was a set of tie-pins, which used to belong to Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in 1936.

He went along to the Duchess of Windsor sale at Sotheby's in Geneva in 1987 and handed over £26,500 for the set.

David, who has seven shops including ones in Dudley, Bearwood and Birmingham's Corporation Street, said: "I thought my father was going to go crazy when he heard I'd handed over £26,500," says David, whose father died in 1996 and brother Robert passed away in 2002.

The next sale David, aged 58, went to was the Jackie Kennedy sale at Sotheby's in New York in 1996 where he bought two silver candelabras.

In 2006 David went to the Princess Margaret sale at Christie's where he bought the binoculars and jewellery, which included a brooch and a pair of coral and diamond earrings for £9,000.

Then in 2009 David added to his collection by attending the Duchess and Duke of Kent's sale where he paid £1,000 for a mahogany and leather-topped desk belonging to the Duke.

David said: "I'm a royalist and so am fully in support of the Royal wedding and I want to give people in the West Midlands just a taste of some of the items they have owned," he says.

"One item I missed out on was a sliver frame engraved with the words 'Dearest Edward' and it contained a photo of Queen Victoria — it was estimated at £20,000 and went for £750,000. However, there will be other sales and I'm sure the next one will be Elizabeth Taylor's — it would be wonderful to have the opportunity to buy some items from her jewellery collection."