Lot 108
Victoria (1819-1901) Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1837-1901) and Empress of India (1876-1901). Autograph Letter Signed ("Ever your loving Grandmaman VRI [Victoria Regina Imperatriz]," 4pp, on Victoria's personal, black-bordered stationery, 7 x 4½", Claremont ("Windsor Castle" is marked through), n.d. but after John Brown's death on Mar. 27, 1883. In part: "Dear little Darling, Your sweet little letters gave me great pleasure as well as the lovely…heather from dear Scotland. We have quantities of this heather on the Commons about here….We are going on Wednesday to Osborne..I want much…to place flowers in the Church yard and the spot where the Earthly part of my dear faithful Brown rests….Little Alice is such a dear little merry thing…hoping to see dear Papa on Thursday…."
The Scottish John Brown (1826-1883) had first been Prince Albert's personal ghillie, then after Albert's death in 1861, Brown became Victoria's devoted servant until the end of his life. There has been much speculation about their relationship. The 1997 film "Mrs. Brown" starred Billy Connolly as Brown and Dame Judy Dench as Victoria. Brown received many gifts from Victoria and after his death, she had a life-sized statue of him erected on the grounds of Balmoral Castle.
"Little Alice" is probably Alexandra Feodorovna, later Czarina of Russia. Her nickname was "Sunny" and she was eleven years old in 1883. Victoria's letter may be to one of Alice-Alexandra's older sisters, possibly Princess Elizabeth, born 1864, later Grand Duchess of Russia, who was murdered in 1918.
Estimated Value $1,500 - 1,800.
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| Realized $4,320 |
