An urgent private cover from Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (1799–1869), three-time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, to Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881). Prominently written and underlined at the upper left is “Immediate, ” indicating that the cover was intended to reach Disraeli without delay. Hand-addressed: “Right Honble. B. Disraeli M.P. Grosvenor Gate” with the clear full autograph signature of Lord Derby – “Derby” at the lower left. The envelope is executed in black-bordered Victorian mourning stationery, while the reverse retains a particularly striking large original black wax seal bearing a heraldic device. The combination of the black border and black wax seal gives the cover a distinctive Victorian mourning character. Black-bordered stationery was principally associated with mourning during the Victorian period. Such customs became particularly prominent following the death of Prince Albert in 1861 and Queen Victoria's prolonged mourning. However, in the absence of a date or the original contents, the particular bereavement or circumstances behind the use of mourning stationery on this cover cannot be established. Lord Derby was one of the leading Conservative statesmen of Victorian Britain, serving as Prime Minister in 1852, 1858–1859 and 1866–1868. Disraeli was his principal political lieutenant, serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer in Derby's governments and leading the Conservatives in the House of Commons; in 1868 he succeeded Derby as Prime Minister. The prominently marked “Immediate” adds particular interest, demonstrating that the communication was intended to reach Disraeli urgently. Derby and Disraeli stood together at the centre of several major political and parliamentary crises, including the struggles over parliamentary reform, the fall of Derby's government in 1859 and the developments surrounding the Reform Act of 1867. The cover may have carried an urgent communication relating to contemporary political affairs; however, without a date or the original contents, no association with a specific political event can be established. An unusually attractive Victorian autograph and political-history item combining Lord Derby → Benjamin Disraeli provenance, Derby's full autograph signature, an “Immediate” instruction, black-bordered mourning stationery and a large original black heraldic wax seal.
Auction 01: Auction 01 – Historical Letters, Documents & Autographs — Melis Antiques & Art