An historic letter from Bonnie Prince Charlie stars in our February fine art sale. The group of Jacobite rarities were discovered amongst a superb collection of antiques from a house clearance in North Essex; over 250 lots from the Georgian townhouse will feature in our three-day February sale running from February 18th to the 20th.
The letter, addressed to Patrick Murray, 5th Lord Elibank, a known Jacobite sympathiser, is by family descent, and will be of significant interest to historians and collectors alike, falling within the timeline of the 1745 Jacobite uprising. Signed ‘Charles PR’ (Prince Regent) and written from Holyroodhouse, during Charlie’s brief tenure in the Royal Scottish palace, it implores the receiver, in veiled terms, to use his influence in England, amongst the nobles, to support the Jacobite cause. The letter is estimated at £1000-2000, and is offered alongside a lock of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s hair estimated at £200-300 and an 18th century portrait miniature of the young pretender, estimated at £300-500. A very extensive album from the same source, includes a number of letter from Charles’ father ‘The Old Pretender’, also features in the sale, offered at £3000-5000.