COLLECTING GUIDES Royal memorabilia
The commemorative industry exploded in the reign of Queen Victoria, image courtesy of the Museum of Brands, whose exhibition Jubilation: 200 Years of Royal Souvenirs is on now
Memory Reign Royal memorabilia is in the spotlight like never before. From sought-after ceramics to throwaway ephemera, commemorative pieces shine a light on Britain’s historic and social changes
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s a gauge of public sentiment, levels of patriotism and even history itself, royal memorabilia is a valuable barometer. Consider this: there were 20-25 lines of official merchandise for the marriage of Prince Charles to Camilla Parker Bowles, compared to 1,600 for Charles’ previous wedding (while there were 700 for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee compared to 600 for the Golden event).
48 ANTIQUE COLLECTING
Right A slice of cake
from William and Kate’s wedding sold for £260, image courtesy of Chiswick Auctions
Because of its very nature, royal souvenirs rarely fulfil collecting’s number one requirement – rarity. For all the limited-edition descriptions, royal memorabilia is a mass market where few people make any money – save for the producers. Paul Fraser, of Paul Fraser Collectibles, goes even further. He said: “Don’t invest in jubilee memorabilia. It’s being produced in such large numbers (even the “limited edition” pieces) that there’s not enough rarity to drive prices upwards in the decades to come. Plus, so many people today are alive to the idea of buying memorabilia as an investment. It means most owners will keep their jubilee mugs and plates in pristine condition so the market will be saturated for decades to come.” But such has been the case throughout history. 300 years ago engraved goblets marking the accession of Queen Anne in 1702 cost a shilling to make and were punted out for a guinea to the waiting public.
