Michael Lake
Head of Department
Lot 183
Of Royal interest: A William IV gilt bronze and agate, turquoise matrix and red stone 'gem' set ink stand with provenance to Queen Adelaide, wife of King William IV
Amended
23 – 24 February 2021, 10:00 GMT
London, KnightsbridgeSold for £3,187.50 inc. premium
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Of Royal interest: A William IV gilt bronze and agate, turquoise matrix and red stone 'gem' set ink stand with provenance to Queen Adelaide, wife of King William IV
of rectangular form with wavy lotus border and twin inset oval agate panels within foliate scrolling engraved borders, the edges with closed back claw set cobochon stones, raised on a moulded and elaborate acanthus and floral scrolling footed stand, the centre mounted with a seated putto taperstick with shaped drip pan and conical flambe finial, flanked by twin lotus vase inkwells, the hinged lids with flambe finials on stiff leaf scrolling feet, with inset ceramic receivers, together with
a lawn and netted lace trimmed pocket handkerchief, embroidered to one corner with a crowned basket of flowers and 'Adelaide,' a circular blue velvet and gilt couched metal embroidered pen wipe the centre with an applied gilt metal filagree rosette, and a collection of accompanying later contemporary correspondence and paperwork, the inkstand, 9cm high x 24cm wide x 17.5cm deep
a lawn and netted lace trimmed pocket handkerchief, embroidered to one corner with a crowned basket of flowers and 'Adelaide,' a circular blue velvet and gilt couched metal embroidered pen wipe the centre with an applied gilt metal filagree rosette, and a collection of accompanying later contemporary correspondence and paperwork, the inkstand, 9cm high x 24cm wide x 17.5cm deep
Footnotes
Please see the printed catalogue for the footnote to this lot
Saleroom notices
Provenance: Purchased by the present owners father and thence by descent Papers to include: The newspaper cutting within a black border: Announcing the death 'Of her Majesty The Queen Dowager,' from the London Gazette Extraordinary, December 2 1849, announcing: 'The morning, at seven minutes before two o'clock, her Majesty the Queen Dowager departed this life, at Stanmore Priory, to the great grief of her Majesty and of all the Royal Family, after a painful and protracted illness which she bore with exemplary patience,' Cut out from previous catalogue: Reading 'Queen Adelaide's Inkstand in gilt bronze, cabochon-set borders enclosing agate ovals, with two inkwells and a snuffer; a Penwipe...her pocket handkerchief, sundry letters etc.' Small envelope with the words 'Queen Adelaide,' written on the front: Containing a small black bordered letter saying 'Pen wiper from The Queen Dowager's writing loo (?) used only by Her Majesty -given to me by Lord ...(?) the Priory, December 12/49, H Cornwall,' Another handwritten note saying 'Pocket Handkerchief belonging to the Queen Adelaide,' Letters to include: A Copy of Queen Adelaide's 'Directions for my funeral,' reading 'I die in all humility knowing well that we are all alike before the throne of God, and I request therefore that my mortal remains be conveyed to the grave without any pomp or state. They are to be carried to St George's chapel, Windsor, where i request to have as private and quiet a funeral as possible. I particularly desire not to be laid out in state and the funeral to take place by daylight, no procession, the coffin to be carried by sailors to the chapel. All those of my friends and relations, to a limited number, who wish to attend may do so. My nephew, Prince Edward of S. W, Lords Howe and Denbigh, the Honourable W. Ashley, Mr Wood, Sir Andrew Barnard, and Sir D. Davis, with my dressers and those of my ladies who may wish to attend. I die in peace and wish to be carried to the tomb in Grace, and free from the vanities and pomp of this world. I request not to be dissected nor embalmed and desire to give as little trouble as possible. I shall die in Grace with the world and full of gratitude for all the kindness that was ever shown to me and in full reliance (?) to the mercy of our Saviour Jesus Christ, in whose hands I commit my soul.' To Buckingham Palace: Your Majesty, I beg to present my humble duty and to request the attention of Your Majesty to the following: I acquired in an antique shop in Chelsea an ornamental inkstand which was formerly the property of Her Late Majesty Queen Adelaide and with it was a small collection of personal souvenirs. Amongst these were various notes addressed to a Colonel Cornwall of Cadogan Place, and others, and, above all, a letter in Her Late Majesty's handwriting giving detailed instructions regarding directions to be observed at her funeral. I feel sure that this touching document must be of such historic and personal interest that it is not one which I should retain in my possession, especially as I feel that it might be of some personal interest to Your Majesty. Therefore, with humble duty I have the honour to offer it for Your Majesty's safekeeping, should it be Your desire as a token of my enduring loyalty to Your Majesty and to the Royal Family...' From Buckingham Palace: Dated 19th January 1961, 'I am commanded by The Queen to thank you for your letter of 6th January. It was extremely kind and considerate of you to end to Her Majesty the various documents discovered in the ornamental inkstand which you recently acquired. The letter in Queen Adelaide's handwriting which gives detailed instruction regarding her own funeral is not, in fact, original but a lithograph. Several copies of this survive, and the original is already in the Royal Archives. I am therefore returning this document to you with the assurance that as it was given quite a wide circulation by Queen Victoria, there is no possible objection to your retaining it among your possessions. The copy which you sent me was evidently given to Colonel Cornwall, who was one of Queen Adelaide's Equerries, Queen Victoria in fact gave copies of Queen Adelaide's instructions to the members of the late Queen's household. The other documents which you forwarded are, however, of considerable interest to the Royal Archives, and I have therefore retained them. I am commanded by Her Majesty to thank you very much indeed for having given these documents to the Archives.' From Windsor Castle: Dated 29th July 2014 from Miss Pamela Clark, Senior Archivist, Royal Archives..'Thank you for your letter of 6 July seeking information concerning the material which your later father presented to the Royal Archives. According to our records the items which we retained were the 6 notes and letters from Queen Adelaide to Colonel and Mrs Cornwall mentioned in your father's letter to the The Queen. these items are undated, but probably date from the 1840s. I trust this clarifies this matter sufficiently for you.'
