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Authentic 1941 framed portrait of King George V of the United Kingdom, presented as a christening anniversary gift during the Second World War.
Attached to the back of the frame is a typewritten and handwritten page quoting Lin Yutang’s 1940 essay “King George’s Prayer”, from With Love and Irony. The typed page is dated February 14, 1941, and signed “Aunt Virginia and Uncle Lloyd” — a deeply personal and historic touch from the wartime era.
🖋️ The Text on the Back (exact reproduction)
> “I once read a code of conduct which King George V of England was said to have framed and hung up in his bedroom.
It read as follows:
Teach me to be obedient to the rules of the game.
Teach me to distinguish between sentiment and sentimentality.
Teach me neither to cry for the moon nor over spilt milk.
Teach me to be a good loser.
Teach me to be a good winner.
Teach me not to cry when I am hurt.
These six maxims, which George Bernard Shaw called the essence of English character, express the true spirit of courage, humor, and fair play.”
(Quoted from the latest publication by the great Chinese writer Lin Yutang — “With Love and Irony,” 1940.)
Below, handwritten dedication reads:
> “In observance of your 1941 Christening Anniversary, when it was our sacred privilege to be chosen your godparents. Aunt Virginia & Uncle Lloyd.”
🪞 Description of the Item
Early 20th-century colorized photographic portrait of King George V, finely printed and mounted under glass.
Ornate hand-carved and gilded wood frame, classic pre-WWII craftsmanship.
Original 1941 typewritten and handwritten inscription attached on the back.
Confirmed literary source: Lin Yutang’s essay “King George’s Prayer” from With Love and Irony (John Day Company, New York, 1940).
Dimensions: approx. 15½" × 13,5"x2,5" including frame.
Condition: Minor age wear and light foxing on the back paper; frame structurally solid and displays beautifully, one small chip on the corner.
📜 Historical Context
Lin Yutang (1895–1976) was a celebrated Chinese-American writer and philosopher whose works bridged Eastern and Western thought. In With Love and Irony (1940), he reinterpreted the moral strength and quiet dignity of King George V as a universal “code of life.” These “Six Maxims of King George V” circulated widely in the 1930s and 1940s as symbols of courage and good sportsmanship during the war years.
This piece stands at the intersection of royal history, literature, and wartime family heritage — a tangible link between cultures and generations.
⚜️ Condition & Presentation
Frame: stable, with light gesso wear consistent with age.
Glass: clear, intact.
Back: original paper, with authentic typewritten and handwritten text.
A rare and meaningful WWII-era artifact combining the portrait of King George V with a literary and moral reflection by Lin Yutang.
An elegant, thought-provoking gift or display piece — timeless in its message of dignity, courage, and character.
