An elaborate glass crown, the underside having a tiny engraved RD number which the owner interprets as 399223 (and which would have been registered between the 7th and 31st October, 1902). The crown is approximately 6 ¾ inches tall,
(Permission for the re-use of these images on the GMB granted by jayoemms).
Presumably made to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII who acceded to the throne following the death of Queen Victoria on 20 January 1901 and was crowned on 9th August 1902. and is obviously modelled after the contemporary Imperial State crown.
King Edward VII intended to be crowned with St. Edward's Crown (the traditional English then British coronation crown) but in the event used instead the lighter Imperial State Crown (St Edward's Crown being judged too heavy for the King to wear soon after his illness). [The particular 1902 Imperial State crown was also used for Victoria’s coronation in 1838, but differs from the current Imperial State crown and that which were used for after coronations of King George V and King George VI].
This glass crown is obviously modelled after the contemporary Imperial State crown.
I imagine that the glass crown was initially moulded, setting out the basic form, perhaps with the terminal cross added afterwards. The side panels representing the internal velvet cap of the ‘real’ crown are frosted, and details of the frame and some of the gems look as if they have been enhanced by polishing or cutting. I’m not sure if the open framework of the top of the crown would have been moulded as such, or removed by cutting afterwards (though the walls of the glass crown are quite thick).
There have been a number of commemorative glass crown produced to mark the various milestones of the British monarchy, but this example is of exceptional quality.
RD 399223 is not listed at
http://www.great-glass.co.uk/glass%20notes/regnos05.htm or by Jenny Thompson.
Is RD 399223 in the Blue Book, please? If so, could someone let me have the precise registration details, please.
Many of these commemorative pieces were registered in more than one class (or classes other than glass), so that may be the reason why the RD number is missing from the lists.
On reflection, it strikes me as odd that the design was registered AFTER the coronation date (rather than in the interval between the accession and the coronation), so I suppose there is always the possibility that the owner has mis-read the RD number. If that is the case, then I can’t find a likely alternative RD number (RD 369XXX to 394XXX) between 20 January 1901 and 9 August 1902 that might apply.
Fred.
Topic: Commemorative Glass 1902 coronation crown, RD 399223? (Read 794 times)
