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Of Royal and medical Interest: An early to mid Victorian steel presentation key to Hyde Park Pleasure Gardens image 1
Of Royal and medical Interest: An early to mid Victorian steel presentation key to Hyde Park Pleasure Gardens image 2
Lot 109

Of Royal and medical Interest: An early to mid Victorian steel presentation key to Hyde Park Pleasure Gardens

23 February 2022, 11:00 GMT
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £2,550 inc. premium

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Of Royal and medical Interest: An early to mid Victorian steel presentation key to Hyde Park Pleasure Gardens

the solid bow with circular suspension engraved with a crown flanked by VR below inscription PLEASURE GARDENS HP and No 211 within a line and scrolling border, the reverse with inscription DR FERGUSON 125, PARK STREET below NOT TRANSFERABLE within a matching border, the baluster shaft with turned collar and cylindrical pin, above a pierced rectangular bit, with angular pierced wards, 8.7cm long approximately

Footnotes

Robert Ferguson M.D. (1799-1865) was an Indian-born Scottish physician who was appointed as one of the 'physician-accoucheurs' to Queen Victoria in 1840. In her diaries the Queen referred to him in that same year as 'a very clever, intelligent looking and quiet man'. He was present at the birth of all nine of her children and also attended to the Royal Princes and Princesses in their infanthoods. In 1957 he was appointed 'Physician Extraordinary' to the Queen.

125 Park Street was the largest of seven rather grand houses overlooking Hyde Park. Dr Ferguson lived there between 1849 and 1865 and would have been conveniently situated so that he might be called to attend to the Queen at nearby Buckingham Palace at short notice. It is possible that Queen Victoria presented this key to her doctor in recognition of his loyal service.

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