Topic: The dates of royalty (and other) memorabilia

[Bernard C]

Factory pattern books, trade catalogues, and other source materials are often undated but sequential, like the Walsh factory pattern books reproduced in Reynolds.

So we are often desperate for dates within the sequence.

Royalty memorabilia are often present and are extremely useful in this respect.

So, for example, Edward VIII coronation souvenir designs must date in the sequence between his accession on 20 January 1936 and the abdication broadcast on 11 December 1936.

Likewise for Edward VIII coronation souvenir designs modified for George VI.

Whereas fresh George VI coronation souvenirs give you a date in the sequence between 11 December 1936 and the coronation on 12 May 1937.

Now you can knock off perhaps two months or so from the end dates, simply because the souvenirs had to be made, packed, shipped to wholesalers, and distributed to retailers before the event.

And you should be able to further refine these dates if you know the dates when officially approved designs for portraits, profiles, cyphers, coats of arms, etc. were made available to designers and manufacturers.

How does one go about finding these dates?

Bernard C. 

[Frank]

The archivist of the Royal Family will have records of all submitted design proposals. Generally 1 to 2 years before the event. With that date you then need to factor in production design and any tooling lead times. No doubt our friend from Nazeing can add to this.