Object of the Day: Four Generations at Buckingham Palace

I find images like this one to be exceptional. The sheer power of the history in that room is astounding. Here, we have another bit of ephemera from my collection. This postcard is another by the famous firm of Raphael Tuck & Sons. Depicted are four generations of the royal family at Buckingham Palace—taken just after the 1948 birth of Prince Charles. Seated are Queen Mary (consort of King George V); her son, King George VI; her granddaughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II; and Charles, Prince of Wales as an infant.

This week, as I’m looking at the many, many Royal images around my house, I can’t help but wonder if any of these individuals imagined that in 2012, the world would be celebrating the fact that Queen Elizabeth would have served her empire for sixty years.

The caption on the photo reads:

FOUR GENERATIONS AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE

PRINCESS ELIZABETH AND HER INFANT SON PRINCE CHARLES WITH KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN MARY

Object of the Day: A Tuck’s Postcard Depicting Queen Mary

Until the Second World War, the leading name in British postcards was Raphael Tuck & Sons.  Together, we’ve looked at several Tucks’ Postcards in my collection.  Most of them pertain to King George V and Queen Mary, well, because that’s what interests me.  Though Tuck & Sons did produce a good many royalty-themed cards, their inventory covered almost any popular or fashionable subject matter.

Let’s take a look at this card depicting Queen Mary arranging a vase of flowers—carnations (which she really didn’t care for) and what appears to be lilies.  What I like about this image is that though it’s clearly staged, it tries to give the appearance of being candid and casual.  Her Majesty is dressed in a loose, fur-trimmed, lace robe as opposed to the formal gowns and jewels which she usually wore for portraits.  Giving a soft smile, it’s clear that Queen Mary was trying to look as informal as possible, showing that she understood what the photographer was trying to accomplish.  She is wearing the jewels that she usually donned to knock around the palace:  a stack of diamond, gold and ruby bangles which she particularly favored, her favorite pearl earrings and a tight pearl choker worn at the middle of her throat.

The front of the card simply says, “HER MAJESTY QUEEN MARY.”  And credit for the photo is given as “Camera Photography by E.O. HOPPÉ.

The reverse reads:

Along the edge…

Copyright, London    Printed in England      ROYAL PORTRAIT SERIES

Raphael Tuck & Sons     “REAL PHOTOGRAPH”    Postcard No. 3742

And, along the top…

TUCK’S POST CARD

CARTE POSTALE

H.M. QUEEN MARY – One of her happiest portraits taken at Buckingham Palace.  Her Majesty is the only daughter of the late Duke and Duchess of Teck and was married to King George July 6^th, 1893.  Crowned at Westminster Abbey, June 22^nd, 1911.

Object of the Day: “God Save the King,” A Postcard from the 1911 Coronation

When one considers the postcard craze which swept Britain in the late Nineteenth and Earlier Twentieth Century, the first name that comes to mind is that of Sir Raphael Tuck.  Well, at least for me, that’s the case, but I admit that I think about antique postcards more than most.

Sir Raphael Tuck, founder of the thriving Raphael Tuck & Sons printing concern was, in many ways, the father of commercial art.  This clever fellow, aided by his wife and seven children, according to the “London Times, “opened up a new field of labor for artists, lithographers, engravers, printers, ink and paste board makers, and several other trade classes” when he opened his business making postcards.  The cards focused on popular subjects, the Monarchy, theatre and other contemporary passions with beautiful, engaging color images.  Tuck’s sons would compete to see who could commercially market the most cards.  Each day, a tally of sales was taken and, the next morning, the winner would receive the largest boiled egg at breakfast.  Sounds like good incentive to me!  I know Bertie would sell quite a few postcards if that was the prize.

I have a good many Tuck’s postcards.  The majority of mine are related to King George V and Queen Mary, and especially their 1911 coronation.  Let’s take a look at one.

This one features a portrait oval of His Majesty between the Union Jack and the Royal Standard.  Beneath him, in a “parchment” frame are two verses from “God Save the King.”

God save our gracious King,

Long live our noble King,

God save the King.

Send him victorious,

Happy and Glorious,

Long to reign over us.

God save the King.

Thy choicest gifts in store,

On him be pleased to pour;

Long may he reign.

May he defend our laws,

And ever give us cause

To sing with heart and voice

God save the King.

The reverse reads:

The “CORONATION” Series,

Raphael Tuck & Sons’ “OILETTE” Postcard 9869

ART PUBLISHERS TO THEIR MAJESTIES THE KING AND QUEEN

Printed in England.

By Appointment.  (beneath the Royal Arms)

TUCK’S POSTCARD

CARTE POSTALE     POSTKARTE

His Most Excellent Majesty George V,

by the Grace of God, King of the United Kingdom of

Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions

beyond the Seas, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, etc.

Born June 3^rd, 1865.  Married July 6^th, 1898

Succeeded to the Throne May 6^th, 1910

Crowned June 22^nd, 1911