RARE 116-Piece Edwardian Coronation Book Charm Collection & Brooch, Display Box For Sale

An Extraordinary Collection of 116 EdwardianCoronation Book Charms, Plus Original Brooch — Edward VII (1902) & George V(1911)

Offered here is a remarkable,museum-quality collection of 116 miniature enamel "photo book"charms, plus an original 1902 Coronation enamel brooch, gathered over yearsand presented together for the first time in their fitted display case. Everypiece commemorates one of the two great royal coronations of the early 20thcentury: King Edward VII in 1902 and King George V in 1911.

These tiny treasures are amongthe most charming survivals of Edwardian souvenir jewelry. First producedaround the turn of the 20th century and made for roughly a decade, each charmtakes the form of a miniature book — most with hinged gilt-brass covers andvividly enameled fronts, opening to reveal (in most examples) six tinyphotographic portraits inside. The most commonly found interiors feature KingEdward VII, Queen Alexandra, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Prince ofYork, and Queen Victoria; scarcer examples substitute or add views of theCoronation Chair, Westminster Abbey, the Coronation Choir, the Crown Jewels, orWindsor Castle.

The Coronation of Edward VII in1902 was, by far, the great commemorative event of the genre, and the vastmajority of surviving book charms date to that year — a scarcer few were laterproduced for George V's coronation in 1911, by which point the format wasalready falling out of fashion, making 1911-dated examples a genuine raritywithin an already-specialized field. Nearly the entire collection is finishedin gilt brass with fired enamel, with one notable exception: a sterling silverCoronation regalia fob (detailed below), a rare and desirable departure fromthe standard format.

What's Included

•116 book-form photo charms, plus 1 original enamelbrooch (117 pieces total), arranged in a fitted, compartmentalized displaybox (as photographed) — the great majority are book-form photo charms, with ahandful of distinctive variant forms detailed below

•A wide variety of cover designs and colorways: royalblue, deep red, turquoise, and green enamels; monogram ciphers (ER, GR, E.A.);crown motifs; "THE ROYAL FAMILY," "ROYAL SOUVENIR,""CORONATION 1902," and "CORONATION 1911" lettering; andappliquéd crest and floral-emblem covers

•The original "THE CORONATION" CharmSouvenir retailer's card, printed by J.W. & Co. Ltd., London,describing the six-photograph enamel format and warranting "BritishManufacture" — a wonderful piece of original period ephemera that helpsdocument and date the collection

•Condition ranges from excellent to good, withthe majority in very good condition for their age; wear is consistentwith over a century of handling and is noted honestly (see condition notesbelow)

Notable & Rare Pieces

A handful of items in thiscollection stand apart from the standard enamel book charm and are worthhighlighting individually:

•Sterling silver Coronation regalia fob — thesingle silver piece in the collection (all other charms are gilt brass). Achatelaine-style fob suspending four miniature silver regalia charms: an orb,the Sword of State, St Edward's Crown, and a jeweled scepter, on their originalchain with a ribbon-tab clasp. A genuinely different collecting category fromthe enamel books — symbolic regalia rather than photographic — and likely toappeal to coronation-silver specialists as much as to charm collectors.

•Three heart-form enamel "Souvenir" lockets— one in red enamel with a turquoise cabochon, one in blue with acontrasting stone, one in turquoise with a contrasting stone each opening like the book charms but in a heart silhouetterather than the standard rectangular book — a scarcer novelty shape within thetype.

•1902 Coronation enamel brooch — a blue-and-whiteenamel bar pin reading "CORONATION JUNE 1902" beneath a crowned"ER" cipher and crown finial. Included with the collection as a bonuspiece (not counted among the 116 charms), as it is a pin brooch ratherthan a book charm.

•Original safety-pin-mounted pair — awoven-pattern book charm and a green "ROYAL FAMILY ALBUM" book charm,both still hanging from their original gilt safety-pin fastener — a nicesurviving example of how these charms were actually worn or given as favors.

•Fleur-de-lis–shaped enamel charm — paired with aturquoise "Coronation Album" book charm, this piece departs from therectangular book format entirely in favor of a fleur-de-lis silhouette inturquoise and gilt — an unusual form for the type.

Why This Collection Matters

This would make an outstandingfoundation for a specialist collection of Edwardiana, royal memorabilia, orcharm jewelry, or a superb single-lot addition for a dealer building inventoryin this niche.

Condition

Please examine all photographsclosely, as they form part of the description. In general:

•The majority of charms are in very goodcondition, with bright, largely intact enamel and legible lettering

•Some pieces show minor enamel loss, chipping at edges,or gilt wear consistent with age and handling

•A few show more noticeable wear and are noted as goodcondition

•Photographs inside the charms (wherevisible/accessible) vary in clarity due to age

•The retailer's card shows expected age-toning and asmall closed tear, as pictured

•The display box itself is not guaranteed archival andis offered as a convenient means of housing and viewing the collection

As with all antique enamelwork, please expect the natural variation, small losses, and patina ofcentury-plus-old pieces — this is part of their character and history, not aflaw to be concealed.

Details

Quantity

116 charms + 1 brooch (117 pieces total)

Era

Edwardian, c. 1902–1911

Occasions commemorated

Coronation of Edward VII (1902); Coronation of George V (1911)

Materials

Gilt brass with fired enamel throughout, except for one sterling silver regalia fob

Format

Predominantly miniature hinged "photo book" charms opening to reveal interior portraits, plus a small number of notable variant forms (see above)

Includes

Fitted display box, original "Charm Souvenir" retailer's card (J.W. & Co. Ltd., London)

Condition

Good to Excellent, majority Very Good

Questions

Please feel free to messagewith any questions about specific charms, additional photographs of individualpieces, or condition details before offerding/buying.