A collection of wardroom items from the Officers Wardroom of H.M.Y Osborne

An oak photograph frame:  This frame is applied in silver with the Prince of Wales feathers tied with ribbons incised ‘Ich Dien’ at the top and ‘Royal Yacht Osborne’ below.  English, circa 1900.

Height: 19¾ in (50cm) Width: 14in (36in) £1,250

A platinoid dinner gong and padded striker:  This gong is suspended in a circular, tubular frame on four legs with ball feet. It is inscribed with the crest of the Royal Yacht and the legend ‘Presented by Captain Charles Windham on leaving, with deep regret. 28^th December 1900’ and with five stamps including H.W.& Co, initials B.P. and ‘Platinoid’ within a frame of arrows. English, circa 1900.

Height: 15½in (40cm) Width: 12¼in (31cm) £475

A silver and cut-glass desk set comprising a rectangular ebonised pen tray with silver mounts inscribed ‘Asprey & Sons, 166 New Bond Street London’ with a central cut glass inkwell.  The hinged silver lid of the inkwell is embossed with three upright feathers and incised ‘The Ward Room Mess, Royal Yacht Osborne, Captain H Rose RN, RV November 1883’  Full assay stamps for Asprey, London, 1883. 

Height overall: 4in (10cm) Width 12¼ in (31cm) Depth: 9½in (24cm)    £1,950

H.M.Y. Osborne was a Royal Navy paddle steamer commissioned in 1874.  She measured 1,850 tons, and was used for cruises to foreign countries and later on the short run to Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. In 1898, the Prince of Wales (future King Edward VII) opted for a period of convalescence on ‘Osborne‘ rather than at Osborne House with his mother Queen Victoria. Concerned for his wellbeing she nonetheless invited Guglielmo Marconi to set up a wireless link between the Royal Yacht and Osborne House.  Marconi successfully installed apparatus on the Royal Yacht and in Ladywood Cottage within the grounds of Osborne House, ‘which delighted the Royal family so much that they continued to use wireless communication after the Cowes Regatta Week with various Royal Dukes and Cabinet Ministers joining in’.  Only just over a year later, on 22 January 1901 the Queen passed away.  Osborne’s final commanding officer Charles Eustace Anson, had the onerous task of overseeing her funeral arrangements after less than 30 days in post.