Bidspirit 拍卖 | Queen Victoria (1819–1901) – Rare

Queen Victoria (1819–1901) – Rare Early Pencil Note Attributed to Her Hand as a Child – Inscribed “Written by the Queen when a child” – Provenance: Christie’s, 2005 - A very faint and intriguing early pencil note attributed to Queen Victoria (1819–1901) as a child, many years before her accession to the British throne in 1837. The pencil manuscript is extremely light and faded, although several lines of youthful handwriting remain discernible. Beneath the manuscript appears an old handwritten identification: “Written by the Queen when a child.” The attribution is particularly interesting in the context of Victoria’s early education. In her later recollections, the Queen recalled that she was initially reluctant to learn as a small child and only began learning her letters at around the age of five. The manuscript is mounted within an old paper window mount, through which the very faint pencil writing remains visible. Provenance: according to the collector’s annotation on the reverse, the piece was purchased at Christie’s in 2005. This provenance is an important element in the history and attribution of the manuscript.