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Rare 1852 Design for Iron Duke's Funeral Carriage Up For Bid
12 Feb
Summary
- An original 1852 design for Wellington's funeral carriage is up for auction.
- The drawing, created by Richard Redgrave for Prince Albert, is expected to fetch £5,000-£8,000.
- The finished carriage was made from 18 tonnes of bronze from Waterloo cannons.
A significant piece of British military history is coming to auction: an original 1852 design for the funeral carriage of the Duke of Wellington. This pencil drawing, created by artist Richard Redgrave at Prince Albert's request, is expected to achieve between £5,000 and £8,000 at Cheffins auctioneers.
Wellington, renowned for his defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, died in 1852. Prince Albert commissioned the funeral carriage as a potent symbol of British military achievement. The finished carriage was a colossal structure, weighing over 18 tonnes and constructed from bronze cannons captured at Waterloo, reflecting immense state power.
The drawing itself carries historical weight, inscribed as the 'First idea of the Wellington Funeral car' approved by Prince Albert. Despite its grandeur, reactions to the completed carriage were divided, with Queen Victoria expressing admiration while Charles Dickens notably criticized its aesthetics. This artifact offers a tangible link to a pivotal 19th-century event.
