CORONATION OF GEORGE III [GEORGE III (1738-1820, King of Great Britain) and his Queen CHARLOTTE (1744-1818, née Princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz)]

'An Exact Representation of the Coronation ... at Westminster' and of 'The Coronation Dinner in Westminster Hall', 2 hand-coloured woodcuts, copied from the illustrations in The Universal Magazine for October and November 1761, the first, taken as the Archbishop of Canterbury places the Crown on the King's head, is lettered with explanations of the crowded scene, including at (h) 'The Dukes of Normandie and Acquitain and other great officers', the second, similarly explained, shows the King's Champion, flanked by the Earl Marshal and Lord High Constable, riding up the centre between the long tables, watched by the diners and the others present in the galleries, printed within a 'Greek Key' border, both referring to 22nd September 1761, laid down on two separate album leaves 10" x 7¾", with other items on the versos, the two prints no date, circa edges worn and border trimmed in places without loss to text or image

The original articles of 1761 explain the role at the Dinner of the King's Champion, who challenged any one to assert that George III was not their lawful sovereign, and the 'Dukes of Normandy and Aquitaine' at the Coronation. The French King had anciently a council of twelve great Peers, 6 lay and 6 ecclesiastic. Long after the council ceased to function the ecclesiastics attended at Reims, but the lay peerages had became vested in the crown. So the King appointed people to represent his lay peerages. Henry II liked this idea, which was last used in 1761, given that in 1801 Great Britain renounced all claims to France and the use of the lilies on her coat of arms.
On the versos are (1) a pleasing engraving of Bouverie Hall, Chart next Sutton Valence, Kent, and (2) a number of cuttings including temperance verses and the monument to Captain Charles Colby, of the 98th Dragoons, killed by a tiger at 'Rawal Pinde', 27th March 1852.

Item Date:  1820

Stock No:  56023      £375

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