H.M. King George V’s Ink Blotter, 1924
H.M. King George V’s Ink Blotter, 1924
H.M. King George V’s Ink Blotter, 1924
H.M. King George V’s Ink Blotter, 1924
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, H.M. King George V’s Ink Blotter, 1924
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, H.M. King George V’s Ink Blotter, 1924
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, H.M. King George V’s Ink Blotter, 1924
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, H.M. King George V’s Ink Blotter, 1924

H.M. King George V’s Ink Blotter, 1924

SOLD
Tax included.

Measurements: 9.2cm (3.6in) x 6.3cm (2.5in) x 3.1cm (1.2in)

Provenance:
King George V (1865-1936)
Gifted by Queen Mary  to Charles MacGowan, 1936
Thence by descent

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Personal ink blotter of King George V in 9 carat gold, the solid gold handle engraved with the crowned GVR cypher of the Sovereign. Marker’s mark of Royal Warrant holder Edward & Sons, Buchanon Street, Glasgow. Hallmarked Glasgow 1924. Contained in its original gilt tooled, velvet lined morocco box (13.6cm x 10.5cm x 7cm), and complete with fitted tray and recess containing blotter refills. Sold with accompanying Buckingham Palace, black edged, note card inscribed in Queen Mary’s hand ‘For Charles - / With best Wishes from / Mary R / Christmas 1936’, and on the reverse, also in Queen Mary’s hand, ‘ (This travelled about with King George V for years).

Following the death of  George V on 11 December 1936, Queen Mary (1867-1953) swiftly summoned outside assistance to catalogue the late King's collection of cigarette cases, gold boxes and other objects of vertu.  By way of recompense Queen Mary, an inveterate collector herself, rewarded fortunate cataloguer, Charles MacGowan, with the present gold artefact.

George Edward & Sons were established in Glasgow in 1838 and in 1894 were commission to produce a silver model of the Royal racing yacht Britannia (Royal Collection -  RCIN 60443 Britannia Room, Frogmore House). The firm opened a London branch at Mansion House Buildings in the 1870s and continued as Edward & Sons Ltd  in the twentieth century. it was still active in 1963 at St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, before being acquired by Royal warrant holder Mappin & Webb of Regent Street, London.