As the country is celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s official 90th Birthday this weekend we are dedicating this newsletter to items of royal interest which we have been lucky enough acquire over the years. The piece above (sold) was made for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887 by Orme and Sons. It was a tour-de-force of craftsmanship, history, geography and botany; showing the depth and breadth of Victoria’s empire. Each of the four sides presented the peoples, flora, fauna and major exports from the different continents. The ends showed the changes wrought over her 50 year reign in women’s fashions, architectural styles, transport and naval power.
Another typical Charlie purchase was the Prince of Wales’s top hat (sold)– found in America it is possible that few people there realized the significance of ‘H.R.H.’ and ‘Bertie’s Topper’ but to true blue Brits there can hardly be a more iconic item to represent the sartorially elegant future King Edward VII! Alongside his hat is the Britannia Clock which he commissioned and presented to George Gould, the owner of the America’s Cup defending yacht ‘Vigilant’ at the end of a series of 16 races around Britain and Ireland in 1894 which was won emphatically (12 races to 4) by the Prince’s J-class yacht ‘Britannia’. Needless to say the larger inscription beneath the clock reads BRITANNIA RULES THE WAVES! Next to that is ‘Britannia’ in action racing past the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes in 1893. This grisaille watercolour, however, has additional royal interest, in that it was prepared for King George V in 1933 by Charles Dixon for a larger painting.
Above is a rare Wilkinson oil painting (sold) of another royal yacht ‘The Victoria and Albert’ taking the Fleet Review in 1935 and a Beken photograph of Prince Philip sailing ‘Coweslip’. Finally, in complete contrast, there is a beautifully back- lit Cecil Beaton portrait of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Most unfortunately we have nothing relating to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II herself but we wish her ‘Happy Birthday’ just the same.
Having previously supplied Harrods antiques department for 22 years, Charles Wallrock of Wick Antiques offers his expertise and professional knowledge to help you buy and sell your antiques.
Wick Antiques was established by Charles Wallrock in the early 1980s. Having grown up in the Antiques world Charles developed an extensive wealth of knowledge.
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