Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu

Duke of Wellington Interest: Assorted hand written letters and a pencil sketch, including a letter written by the Duke of Wellington to the Hon Mary Anne Jervis, dated 16th August 1838, referring to the gift of a coronet commissioned by the Duke himself, made by Messrs Garrard, and given as a personal gift. (This lot relates to the silver gilt coronet previously sold at Dix Noonan Webb. (See: lot 250, sale on 27th March 2018 - image below). £100-£200

These papers have subsequently come to light by the vendor of the coronet.

The first letter reads:
‘Rec.....16 1838 My dear Mary Jervis,
I send herewith the Crown in token of my admiration of your singing the Trio in the Cenerentola regally! If it should not fit you will send to Garrard in Panton Street, he will have it altered to fit you as you may desire .... sincerely W3’. Accompanied by a hand written envelope addressed to: ‘The Hon.ble Mary Jervis, ... St James’ Street’, with the Duke’s wax seal to the reverse.

Also included is a small pencil sketch of the outline of the crown drawn by the Duke himself, annotated below: ‘Sketch made by the Duke of Wellington Aug 6th 1838’ with a further hand written note (by Mary Anne Jervis) reading: ‘The Duke’s sketch for the design of the Crown which he gave me - the little sketch was sent to me by Mr Garrard who made the Crown, of Panton Street, Haymarket - Mr Garrard has endorsed it with the date of it’.

A further hand written note dated July 1874 (presumably originally accompanying the coronet itself) was written by Mary Anne Jervis, (who married the Hon George Weld-Forester in 1862) reading: ‘This gold crown was given to me when the Hon M A Jervis by the great Duke of Wellington, manufactured under his direction by Messrs Garrard, Haymarket, the Duke drew this little design himself, a very rough little affection on a scrap of paper which Messrs Garrard sent me.....’ signed ‘M A Forester July 1874’.