1076
Signed photograph of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall 
and York (later King George V and Queen Mary) and their royal 
suite on the garden steps of Government House, Melbourne, 
9 May 1901, by Vandyck Studios, Melbourne; attractively 
framed in ebonized timber with gilt trim, with ‘H.M.S. Ophir, 
1901’ to the edge in black lettering; modern strut to reverse, 
39.5 x 29.5cm overall.
In this presentation photograph the royal couple is pictured 
on the garden terrace of Government House (Melbourne) 
surrounded by their entourage who sailed with them aboard the 
royal yacht HMY Ophir during the 1901 Royal Tour of Australia 
and the Empire. The photograph was taken on 9 May 1901 - 
the day the Duke officially opened the inaugural sitting of the 
Federal Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia on behalf 
of King Edward VII. The photograph is autographed by each of 
the royal suite on the mount. The men wear either full dress 
uniform or official court dress with decorations; the ladies wear 
mourning dress, jewels, and decorations. For the Royal Tour, 
the Duke and Duchess were attended by a retinue of household 
attendants, including two official artists, a physician, Ladies-
In-Waiting, Aides De-Camp and a Chaplain, together with the 
newly-appointed Governor of Western Australia.
The sitters pictured are: The Duke and Duchess ‘George’ 
and ‘Victoria Mary’ of Cornwall and York; Prince Alexander of 
Teck (later Earl of Athlone); 3rd Baron Wenlock; Lieutenant 
Colonel Sir Arthur John Bigge; Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace; 
Commander Bryan Godfrey-Faussett; Captain the Viscount 
Crichton; Lieutenant the Duke of Roxburghe; Lieutenant 
Colonel John Joseph Byron; Commander Sir Charles Leopold 
Cust; Major James Henry Bor; the Hon Derek Keppel; Lady 
Mary Lygon; Lady Katharine Coke; Bridget the Hon. Mrs 
Derek Keppel; (Sir) John Anderson; Canon John Neale Dalton; 
Chevalier Eduardo de Martino; Sydney Prior Hall; Sir Alan 
Reeve Manby; and (Sir) Alfred Leigh Winsloe, R.N.
$3,000–4,000
1077
1901 Royal presentation inkwell in sterling silver, featuring 
a medallion inset into the lid depicting the Duke and 
Duchess of Cornwall and York to the obverse and the anchor 
emblem of the Royal Tour of the Colonies to the reverse; 
approx. 470g overall, including the glass inkwell insert.
Issued to commemorate the 1901 Royal Tour of the Colonies, 
whose main purpose was to open the first Federal Parliament 
of Australia in May of that year. An identical inkwell is known 
to have been presented by the royal couple to Sir Alan Reeve 
Manby, the Royal Physician. The inkwell bears the silver 
mark JTH/JHM of John Thomas Heath & John Hartshorne 
Middleton.
$800–1,200
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