A 19th-century private cover from Lord Derby to Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881), the British statesman and future Prime Minister. The cover is prominently marked “Private” and addressed in manuscript to: “Right Hon. B. Disraeli M.P. Downing Street” At the lower left appears the manuscript initial “D.”, identifying the sender as Derby. The cover belongs to the private correspondence between Disraeli and the Derby/Stanley circle, one of the most important political families within the 19th-century British Conservative establishment. The relationship between Disraeli and Lord Derby played a major role in Disraeli’s political career and in the development of the Victorian Conservative Party. The reverse bears a crowned blind-embossed seal, incorporating a device surrounded by the motto “Honi soit qui mal y pense, ” the motto of the Order of the Garter. An interesting private cover directly linking Lord Derby and Benjamin Disraeli, addressed to Disraeli at Downing Street and distinguished by Derby’s manuscript “D.” and an impressive crowned embossed seal on the reverse.
Auction 01: Auction 01 – Historical Letters, Documents & Autographs — Melis Antiques & Art