Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu

Of Royal interest: A Prince of Wales gold presentation cufflink, (later adapted to a brooch), designed as the heraldic badge of H.R.H. Albert Edward Prince of Wales, the plumes of three ostrich feathers encircled by a royal coronet, with motto ‘Ich Dien’, (I serve), within garter engraved in script ‘Albert Edward 1875’, the reverse inscribed ‘Bombay November 9th’, diameter 25mm. £400-£600

This cufflink, later adapted to a brooch, is one of the pair of cufflinks presented to Joseph Julius Kanné, Queen Victoria’s Courier, by H.R.H Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, (later Edward VII), for his services to the Prince during the Royal Tour of India in 1875. Thence by family descent.

Born in Austria in 1818, Kanné came to Britain after serving in the Crimean War (1853-56). He entered the Royal Household in 1857 and became Queen Victoria’s Courier the following year. He was responsible for organising the Royal couple’s Continental journeys, often travelling with them. The Royal family clearly thought highly of Kanné. Queen Victoria first met him on 22 October 1857, when she recorded in her diary, “Bertie (the Prince of Wales) brought the Courier, Kanné, to me whom he so much likes. He is in manner quite like a gentleman and certainly very nice, very cultivated and speaking many languages”.

Kanné accompanied the Prince of Wales during his extensive tour of India in 1875, during which the Prince visited more than 21 towns and cities before returning to England in May 1876.

When Kanné died on 24 April 1888, the Queen wrote, again in her diary, “Very Very sad! For 30 years he had attended me on all my journeys, making all the arrangements in a most admirable manner He used to think of every little thing for my pleasure and comfort, and had a wonder power of organisation. I can hardly yet realise that he is gone and he will be such a loss. All my children and people are so grieved”.

Joseph was buried in the Great Circle at Brompton Cemetery, the Queen providing his headstone. His epitaph reads: 'This stone was erected by the Queen and the Prince of Wales to mark their appreciation of the long and valued services of Joseph Julius Kanné. In memory of Joseph Julius Kanné, for nearly 40 years one of Her Majesty’s most devoted servants. Died 24 April 1888 aged 70 years'.