ROYAL INTEREST: a George III inlaid silver and lacquer snuff box and associated items unmarked, ...
ROYAL INTEREST: a George III inlaid silver and lacquer snuff box and associated items
unmarked, circa 1790
Of curved rectangular form, with a hinged cover, the whole inlaid with silver and filigree work, together with a photograph of Admiral Sir Basil Vernon Brooke K.C.V.O. in uniform and an unsigned handwritten letter of provenance believed to be written by Marian Crawford 'Crawfie', governess to Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen) and Princess Margaret. (3)
Footnotes:
Provenance
The framed photo, snuff-box and accompanying handwritten letter of provenance, were allegedly consigned directly into auction by Marian Crawford's own family. This particular lot originally came up for sale at Taylors auction house in Montrose, Scotland, on Saturday 10th November 2012 in the 'Paintings, Porcelain, Furniture, Marine, Militaria, Ethnic Art & Coin Sale', under Lot 1250.
The three items above were then subsequently sold to Blackwood Antiques in late 2012, and have changed hands several times since.
Marian Crawford 'Crawfie' (1909–1988)
In 1932 Marion Crawford moved from Fife to the heart of the Royal Household, acting as governess for the future Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret when they were just little girls. Tall, strict and kindly, she stayed for 17 years and 'Crawfie', as they fondly called her, was not only their teacher, but their constant confidante and companion.
Crawfie guided the girls through the drama of the abdication of their uncle, the upheaval of their parents' accession and the trauma of the Second World War. She took shelter with them both at Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire, and also within Windsor Castle's dungeon bomb shelters. Subsequently she was also on the scene when Elizabeth first met Philip. Yet, at the end of her service, the royals cut her off. The reason? A harmless memoir, 'The Little Princesses'. Crawfie's own account of life with the princesses is now all but forgotten, but in 1950 it was a US-UK sensation and her discreet and loving memoir saw her punished for the rest of her life; ostracised from the Royal Family forever.
This letter of provenance, purportedly in Crawfie's own hand and written in April 1982 in her dotage, relates to her friendship with Admiral Sir Basil Vernon Brooke K.C.V.O., who was Head of the Royal Household during the Second World War. In precis, Crawfie writes that the Admiral sent her his precious snuff box and photograph (also included in this lot), a month before his death. She attached this testimony to the back of his photograph and recalls her friendship with him. She states that he had carried this snuff box with him his whole adult life, 'going all over the world with him, through many naval battles ... During the first 6 months of the last war he and I were incarcerated in Birkhall with the Princesses - no one could have been so wonderful, and so proud to be chosen by the King to guard his daughters. He was much loved by the King and Queen - known to everyone as 'B.V'. He thought there was no one in the world to compare with Princess Elizabeth. We had such fun at Birkhall inspite of Hitler and Lord Haw Haw! 'Lilibet' was not at the 'coming down to dinner stage' but spent an hour each evening with B.V. who taught her all sorts of card games ... One evening we were highly elated over a big naval victory so B.V. drank champagne from my pink evening slipper!!! Now at 72 that really warms my heart and makes me think of gracious living and romantic times.'
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ROYAL INTEREST: a George III inlaid silver and lacquer snuff box and associated items
unmarked, circa 1790
Of curved rectangular form, with a hinged cover, the whole inlaid with silver and filigree work, together with a photograph of Admiral Sir Basil Vernon Brooke K.C.V.O. in uniform and an unsigned handwritten letter of provenance believed to be written by Marian Crawford 'Crawfie', governess to Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen) and Princess Margaret. (3)
Footnotes:
Provenance
The framed photo, snuff-box and accompanying handwritten letter of provenance, were allegedly consigned directly into auction by Marian Crawford's own family. This particular lot originally came up for sale at Taylors auction house in Montrose, Scotland, on Saturday 10th November 2012 in the 'Paintings, Porcelain, Furniture, Marine, Militaria, Ethnic Art & Coin Sale', under Lot 1250.
The three items above were then subsequently sold to Blackwood Antiques in late 2012, and have changed hands several times since.
Marian Crawford 'Crawfie' (1909–1988)
In 1932 Marion Crawford moved from Fife to the heart of the Royal Household, acting as governess for the future Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret when they were just little girls. Tall, strict and kindly, she stayed for 17 years and 'Crawfie', as they fondly called her, was not only their teacher, but their constant confidante and companion.
Crawfie guided the girls through the drama of the abdication of their uncle, the upheaval of their parents' accession and the trauma of the Second World War. She took shelter with them both at Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire, and also within Windsor Castle's dungeon bomb shelters. Subsequently she was also on the scene when Elizabeth first met Philip. Yet, at the end of her service, the royals cut her off. The reason? A harmless memoir, 'The Little Princesses'. Crawfie's own account of life with the princesses is now all but forgotten, but in 1950 it was a US-UK sensation and her discreet and loving memoir saw her punished for the rest of her life; ostracised from the Royal Family forever.
This letter of provenance, purportedly in Crawfie's own hand and written in April 1982 in her dotage, relates to her friendship with Admiral Sir Basil Vernon Brooke K.C.V.O., who was Head of the Royal Household during the Second World War. In precis, Crawfie writes that the Admiral sent her his precious snuff box and photograph (also included in this lot), a month before his death. She attached this testimony to the back of his photograph and recalls her friendship with him. She states that he had carried this snuff box with him his whole adult life, 'going all over the world with him, through many naval battles ... During the first 6 months of the last war he and I were incarcerated in Birkhall with the Princesses - no one could have been so wonderful, and so proud to be chosen by the King to guard his daughters. He was much loved by the King and Queen - known to everyone as 'B.V'. He thought there was no one in the world to compare with Princess Elizabeth. We had such fun at Birkhall inspite of Hitler and Lord Haw Haw! 'Lilibet' was not at the 'coming down to dinner stage' but spent an hour each evening with B.V. who taught her all sorts of card games ... One evening we were highly elated over a big naval victory so B.V. drank champagne from my pink evening slipper!!! Now at 72 that really warms my heart and makes me think of gracious living and romantic times.'
