Queen's Album e-catalogue - Catalog - Page 14
consist of panels and rich marginal borders,
departure overseas. Some Sydney Morning Herald
the fillets, mouldings, and panels being all
letter writers suggested that as the album was
of different kinds of fancy woods of a yellow
to be gifted on behalf of the people of NSW, it
and brownish hue, the principal mouldings
should be available for that state’s constituents
set cross-grained, and the colours beautifully
to view first before Melbournians.
contrasted … The front and lid of the case are
made to lift together; the album rests on a
sliding shelf which can be manipulated with
ease; the inside of the case is padded and lined
with puce satin; and the case is provided with
a handsome silver key. The general effect is
strikingly rich—everything about the case
and its contents being perfectly artistic
and harmonious.
in February 1881, it did not leave Australia’s shores
until December. The delay was caused by the
decision to add eight new photographs. These
depicted the Royal Navy’s sham fight held near
Mrs Macquarie’s Chair on 12 April 1881 and the
arrival of its Detached Squadron on 6 July 1881
with Queen Victoria’s grandsons, Prince George
and Prince Albert, on board. The initial album of
In mid-December 1880, newspapers began
56 photographs was discarded and a new album
reporting that the NSW Government was planning
of 64 photographs—incorporating the naval activity
to send a ‘beautiful album … in an equally beautiful
scenes—duly fabricated. It was this second, larger
case’ to Queen Victoria. Rumours were that the
album that was shipped out to Britain on the Cuzco.
album would be displayed at the Melbourne
International Exhibition in 1880/81 prior to its
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Although the album was ready to be dispatched
On 27 February 1882 the Agent General of NSW,
Saul Samuel, presented the album to Queen Victoria.
