▁itself ▁is ▁unknown . ▁American ▁j ew eller ▁Harry ▁W inst on , ▁who ▁named ▁the ▁neck lace , ▁claimed ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁owned ▁first ▁by ▁Spanish ▁royal ty . ▁However , ▁the ▁first ▁recorded ▁owner ▁of ▁the ▁piece ▁was ▁T uk o ji ▁R ao ▁III , ▁Mah ar aja ▁of ▁Ind ore , ▁then ▁a ▁pr inc ely ▁state ▁within ▁India , ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century . ▁Upon ▁his ▁ab dic ation , ▁the ▁neck lace ▁was ▁passed ▁to ▁his ▁son , ▁Y ash v ant ra o ▁II , ▁who ▁took ▁up ▁his ▁father ' s ▁throne . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁Y ash v ant ra o ▁sold ▁the ▁neck lace ▁to ▁Harry ▁W inst on . ▁W inst on ▁l ent ▁the ▁neck lace ▁out ▁that ▁year ▁to ▁actress ▁Kath ar ine ▁He p burn , ▁who ▁wore ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁Academy ▁Awards ▁ceremony . ▁The ▁neck lace ▁formed ▁part ▁of ▁W inst on ' s ▁" C ourt ▁of ▁Jew els ", ▁a ▁nation ally ▁tour ing ▁exhibition ▁of ▁j ew els ▁and ▁j ew ell ery ▁including ▁the ▁Hope ▁Diam ond ▁and ▁the ▁Star ▁of ▁the ▁East . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁W inst on ▁sold ▁the ▁neck lace ▁to ▁C ora ▁Hub b ard ▁Williams ▁of ▁Pitts burgh , ▁Pennsylvania . ▁Williams ▁held ▁the ▁neck lace ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁when ▁she ▁be que athed ▁it ▁to