Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Object of the Day: A Souvenir of Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee, 1977

Upon the death of her father in 1952, King George VI, Princess Elizabeth ascended to the throne as Queen Elizabeth II with a coronation taking place on June 2, 1953. In 1977, Her Majesty celebrated twenty-five years o the throne and enjoyed the festivities of her Silver Jubilee. Now, fifty-nine years into her reign, she is just as strong and vital as the day the crown was placed upon her head.

As was and remains the tradition, a variety of souvenirs were produced for the Silver Jubilee. This mug is one of them. Crafted by Biltons, England in 1977, the cup features the official portrait of Her Majesty on the front with her cipher surmounted by English roses on the reverse. Biltons produced fine china and dinnerware in England from 1900 to 1999.

The tradition of Royal Souvenirs continues. A host of such items have been produced for the impending wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton and a slew of objects is already in production for the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty which will occur in 2012 when Queen Elizabeth II celebrates sixty years as the sovereign.




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