Henry Ponsonby, 1870 signed envelope with royal seal in black wax
and two cabinet card portraits of Ponsonby, Private Secretary to Queen Victoria
Author
Publisher
Printing Details
This is a small collection of items relating to Henry Ponsonby, British soldier and royal court official who served as Queen Victoria's Private Secretary.
Henry Ponsonby (1825–1895) became the private secretary to Queen Victoria in April 1870. This collections consists:
1. A mounted envelope, handwritten by and signed by Henry Ponsonby, postmarked Windsor June 26, 1870 and received in Gravesend the following day. The envelope has the addressed front and the back which carries the royal seal in black wax. The recipient was John Willis & Co, of Manor Road, Gravesend, a photographer who started work in the 1850s. This measures 16.5 × 19.5cm. Tanned, backed in stiff card.
2. A cabinet card portrait of Henry Ponsonby, produced by John Willis, with his livery to the front and rear. Light surface wear but otherwise good.
3. A cabinet card of Henry Ponsonby in a more informal pose, dressed in a coat and top hat, and with two long-haired black Labradors. This has no photographer's mark on it and is in fair condition only, with creasing and loss to the edges, a small amount of creasing to the bottom corners but the image in good condition. 16 × 11cm.
Condition
See above for condition—all items with some degree of tanning and wear, the Labrador photo being in the worst condition but the seal on the letter being crisp and in good order.
Price
£50.00
