Valuation on item

TheW1zard

Hi I have an interesting item. It's a Order of service book for the Queens Coronation in 1953.

The book is identical to this:

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chartwell/features/churchills-chosen-souvenir-from-queen-elizabeths-coronation

My Great Grandfather was a guest at the event.

Does this hold any value? Whom could I ask and where might I sell it?

I also have a second book which I think was the official merchandise version at the time. I will add pics if anyone thinks it would help.

Cheers

coylemj

I'm not sure if your Order of Service has the provenance you're suggesting. You say your great-grandfather was a guest at the coronation - was that book handed to him when he arrived at Westminster Abbey for the ceremony?

A spot of research reveals that a company called Novello Co. Ltd published that book as a limited edition of 150. It's possible that as a publicity stunt, they gave a copy to Winston Churchill (then UK PM) and that's how it ended up as an exhibit in Chartwell. A copy came up for auction a few years ago with an estimate of £100-200 but it failed to sell. Which suggests to me that it was not given to a very small number of (elite) attendees on the day. Because if it was, each one that came up for sale would have the original owner's name stated as provenance.

https://live.adampartridge.co.uk/m/lot-details/index/catalog/9/lot/12476

Lot of publishers churned out hardback and softcover versions of the Order of Service which were sold to the public and snapped up as souvenirs of the day. I assume that's what you mean by the 'merchandise' version. They don't have a huge value as collectibles.....

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/the-coronation-service-of-her-majesty-queen-elizabeth-ii/

TheW1zard

That is fantastic information thank you very much!

The second book I have is a very ornatee official pictorial record of the ceremony.

The order of service book I see came in a numbered box which I dont have. It would have been given to him as he was a guest.

I suppose it's a family heirloom which will live out its days in my bookcase!

Cheers!

coylemj

The order of service book I see came in a numbered box which I dont have. It would have been given to him as he was a guest.

He might have claimed that when he came home to conceal an act of extravagance. My guess is that he bought it while he was in London.

During ceremonial events in the UK, an individual's importance is not recognised by giving goodies to some people and none to others, it's done by the strict implementation of what is known as the Order of Precedence. If your great-grandfather was a really important personage, he would have been given an arrival time later than most. The more important you were, the later you arrived. I cannot see any way how they could have handed out just 150 copies of that book when there was 8,251 guests in attendance.

TheW1zard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118762272#Comment_118762272

He was a very well known figure of the time and would have been a special guest, as he was a personal friend of King George VI.

He was ordinary pleb!

It does seem the book only holds sentimental value though.

coylemj

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118762336#Comment_118762336

Then he was probably given the book as a gift by someone in the royal family. An inscription inside, perhaps signed by the Queen Mother would have significantly enhanced it's value.

TheW1zard

If anyone has any recommendation on who could value it that would be great.