Thursday, January 10, 2013

Her Majesty’s Furniture: Queen Victoria’s Jewel Cabinet, 1851



Jewel Cabinet, 1851
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty
Queen ELizabeth II
Displayed by Elkington, Macon and Co. at the 1851 Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace, this remarkable jewel cabinet was designed by Ludwig Gruner and constructed of oak, silver, copper and porcelain to resemble an over-sized reliquary.  Designed to hold Queen Victoria’s extensive collection of jewels, the cabinet also featured Victoria’s favorite portrait of her husband, Prince Albert, as well as miniature portraits of the six children she bore prior to 1851.  The front of the cabinet also sports the Queen’s coat of arms as well as the crest of Saxe-Coburg for Prince Albert.   The portraits were painted by Andreas Deckelmann and Otto Wustlich.  After the Great Exhibition, the cabinet was given to Queen Victoria and she cherished it always.  Now, it is equally cherished as part of the Royal Collection. 

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