ANTIQUE HISTORICAL MATCH SAFE / VESTA CASE c 1850\'s DUKE OF WELLINGTON\'S FUNERAL
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ANTIQUE HISTORICAL MATCH SAFE / VESTA CASE c 1850\'s DUKE OF WELLINGTON\'S FUNERAL:
$113.09
Fascinating Historical Match Safe or Vesta Case and Notefrom England c 1852
Sorry if this is a bit of a long listing but there is a story here and I\'d like to lay it out.
In September of 1852 Arthur Wellesley the1stT Duke of Wellington died.This is the same Duke of Wellington who had defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
At the time of his death at the age of 83 he was England\'s greatest hero. His funeral was delayed until November so that a Great State Funeral could be planned.
When the funeral took place on November 18, 1852 tens of thousands or perhaps a hundred thousand mourners came out in London. From what I read more than for any British person before or
since.
The British Poet Laureate Alfred, Lord Tennyson even wrote an ode for him entitled \" Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington \". This was the greatest mourning the British people had everexpressed.
As a result of this huge popular interest people began and were able to sell anything associated with the Duke of Wellington. Some itemsso distanced from him that it now appears ludicrous.
Now I finally arrive at why this Match Safe is important.
I don\'t know if it has any connection to the Duke of Wellington himself or whether or not the person named on the note had any connection to the Duke. What is clear is that based on the scriptand the age of the paper it is from the period and may simply be part of the hysteria surrounding the event. People at grave sidemay have thrown objects onto the coffin as a tribute or torecoverthem later to sell.
The text is a bit hard to read in places but here is what I believe it reads.
\" This came off the Duke J Wellington\'s coffin given me by Mrs or Miss E Golland November 23rd 1852 \" The last number in the date looks to have been changed. Please look at photos and see if you agree.
The Match Safe itself is in poor condition. It is I believe made of tin and bares a monogram which I can\'t make out. It still opens and closes well.
If you read this far thank you for your patience.
By the way I purchased this at an sale in the \" West Midlandsof England \" in July 2016 when I was sent there for work.
ANTIQUE HISTORICAL MATCH SAFE / VESTA CASE c 1850\'s DUKE OF WELLINGTON\'S FUNERAL:
$113.09