Sophie Cat 56 - Sophie Dupre

Clive Farahar & Sophie Dupré, XV The Green, Calne, Wilts, SN1 8DQ, Tel: (01249) 821121 16
TUART (Louise, née Princess of Stolberg-Gedern, 1752-1824, Countess of Albany, wife of Bonnie Prince
Charlie )
ALS, in Italian with translation, to Giuseppe Aquari at Rome, sending “infinite thanks for your prayers for me at
the start of this new year”, on her part “I ... will not fail to speak with Cardinal Consalvi on an appropriate occasion
about your son. Do not doubt my urgent desire to help you”, 1 side 4to., autograph address and Florence post mark on
verso, 9th January n.y., c. 1820, small defect from opening seal without loss [SD50211]£475
Louise and the Prince were married in 1774 and they lived in Rome, then Florence, but were legally separated in 1784. After the
Prince’s death she kept court in Florence, accompanied by the poet Alfieri (d. 1803), with nightly receptions for men of science and
letters in her house on the Lung’arno.
Consalvi (1757-1824, Pius VII’s ‘Prime Minister’), was an old friend. He attracted the notice of Louise’s brother-in-law, Cardinal
York, when a pupil at the college founded by him at Frascati. A moderate traditionalist, he helped preserve the Papacy through the
Napoleonic period, while rooting out many ancient abuses.
For the signature, cf. BL Add 38283, f.200.
QUEEN VICTORIA LAMENTS THE DEATH OF JOHN BROWN
ICTORIA (1819-1901, Queen of Great Britain) & John BROWN (1826-1882, her Servant and close friend)
Extraordinary ALS in the third person to General Sir Michael BIDDULPH (1823-1904) apologising for her
tardy reply, and telling him about “a slip on the staircase ...” in which she “did not injure any joint, but she can
after 3 months ... only walk with sticks & very little out of doors - & is still carried up & down stairs. This is
however nothing to the grief & shock of the loss - so suddenly of her devoted faithful & invaluable Attendant & dear
friend, whom she never dreamed of surviving & who she misses increasingly ... who no one can ever replace . She is
terribly depressed tho’ it has never kept her from doing her work ... there are days when such faithful, devoted &
watchful servants are more than ever needed & one does feel that God’s dealings are inscrutable in removing such a
person from the poor Queen, at a time when she most needs it ...”, she continues to say how pleased she is that the
General is well and ends with news of Beatrice and by sending him a “Photograph of her dear Brown ...” ,5 sides
8vo., onmonogrammed mourning paper, together with the original cabinet photo by Jabez Hughes, Isle of Wight,
inscribed “Mr J. Brown the Queen’s devoted friend”, 6” x 4”, and the original autograph envelope signed “The Queen”,
with anote by the recipient that it contains the “Photo of John Brown sent by the Queen herslf, 14th June 1883”,Balmoral
Castle, 14th June 1883 [SD25997]£3,750
Thedeath of John Brown on 29th March 1883 was a great blow to the Queen. It was Brown who looked after he at Balmoral, carrying
her up and down stairs and assisting her in and out of her carriage. She planned to write a memoir of him shortly after his death but it
was never completed.
125. VICTORIA (1819-1901, Queen of Great Britain)
Pair of her cream silk gloves embroidered in gold thread with “VR” and a crown, mounted on black velvet, 20” x 20”
overall, rather yellowed and soiled, framed and glazed with Museum conservation glass [SD23246]£3,750
ROYAL LINEN
126. [VICTORIA (1819-1901, Queen of Great Britain)]
Fine damask tablecloth woven with the Royal Cypher in the centre with a decorative border around the edge, 56” x 28”,
n.p., n.d. slight wear on the cypher [SD23005]£775
This linen was specifically made for the Royal Household as the insignia is actually woven into the cloth.
127. [VICTORIA (1819-1901, Queen of Great Britain)]
Fine menu for dinner at Buckingham Palace - “Her Majesty’s Dinner” listing the courses in French - the starters include
soup or maccaroni, the fish is Turbot or Merlan and the main courses are Russian Rissoles, veal or grouse followed by
chocolate eclairs with a cheese souffle and a side table of cold meats, 1 side 8vo with a vignette of Buckingham Palace at
the head with a decorative border around the whole thing, Buckingham Palace, 13th March 1890 [SD24879]£325
QUEEN VICTORIA WITH HER CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN
128. VICTORIA (1819-1901, Queen of Great Britain) & Princess PATRICIA (of Connaught, 1886-1974)
Superb group photo, titled by the Queen, taken on the lawns of Osborne, showing the Queen surrounded by Princesses
ALIX & IRENE of Hesse , the Edinburgh Princesses MARIE, VICTORIA MELITA, ALEXANDRA &
BEATRICE ,andthe Duke of CONNAUGHT ,Princess BEATRICE of Great Britain & the Connaught’s eldest
daughter, Princess PATRICIA in the arms of his nurse, with two of the Queen’s liveried servants standing behind, the
party is enjoying outdoor breakfast under a canopy, 10” x 7½”, Osborne, August 1887 [SD23482]£2,750
With along autograph note in pencil on the verso by Lady Patricia Ramsay, describing the picture, “The Queen at outdoor Breakfast at
Osborne House. (The date below photo written by her). The D. of C. on her right - her grandchildren (Qu. Marie of Roumania & her
sisters (Grand Dchss Kyrol of Russia & Pss Beatrice of Edingburgh (Infanta B. of Spain) ... Pss Alexandra of Edinburgh (half hidden)
... two more grandchildren (Pss Alice of Hesse, Empress Alexandra of Russi (murdered) wife of Emp. Nicholas II) & Princess Irene of
Hesse. Baby in arms not known ... might be myself aged 1 year.”
From the collection of Lady Patricia Ramsay, daughter of the Duke of Connaught.