Articles

The Crown Jewels are among the nation’s most precious treasures, comprising over 100 extraordinary objects, including the Sovereign’s Orb, Armills, spurs, maces, swords, gilt and silver-gilt banqueting plate, insignia, robes, orders and medals, each expressing the status and role of the monarch.  At the heart of the collection are the sacred Coronation Regalia which we will see in the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and The Queen Consort on the 6th of May.  With stories of curses and tales of thievery, the ceremonial treasures amassed by the kings and queens of England have a rich history.

This May, His Majesty King Charles III will be crowned at Westminster Abbey; the 40th monarch (since the Norman Conquest) to receive anointment at that hallowed place. Yet, despite our considerable knowledge of coronations past, the story of ‘coronation furniture’- a term we now use to describe the chairs and stools used by (and sold to) guests at the four twentieth century coronations- has remained unknown- until now.

A Medal Glitters – a vignette by Alastair Ashford Every medal tells a human story and there are a lot of them about – medals and stories that is, and this leads us to place provenance – the golden key – under the microscope, which in turn unlocks the potential material worth, of any medal […]