BONNIE Prince Charlie’s walking cane is to be auctioned in Edinburgh next week with the value estimated to be up to £20,000.
The cane is to be offered at an online auction by Lyon & Turnbull on August 12 as part of the firm’s Edinburgh Scottish Works of Art & Whisky auction.
Almost a work of art in itself, the cane has an inlaid steel head with compressed gold inlaid pommel, with British crown surmounting initials “CE” for Charles Edward who is thought to have gifted the cane to a French noble family who presented it in 1909 to Alfred William Cox.
It was exhibited at the Guildhall in Cambridge in 1911 and is being sold by Cox’s direct descendants.
Colin Fraser, consultant specialist at the sale commented, “It is remarkable to consider this cane’s long history. When it was exhibited in 1911, it was recorded as having been ‘used by Prince Charles when he was at the French court, and was presented by him to a French nobleman, in whose family it has remained until a few years ago, when it was presented by the present holder of the title to the lender’.”
By the 1911 exhibition the cane was the property – although lent anonymously – of Alfred William Cox, who was a remarkable figure in Victorian society.
Son of Alexander Robb Cox (1826-1880) he came from a long line of successful Scottish jute merchants and factory owners working in Dundee and Liverpool.
Lyon & Turnbull explained: “In 1879, and on failing his entrance exams for the Military Academy at Woolwich, he was given £100 and an allowance to travel to Australia.
His father’s intention was for him to learn about the sheep trade and presumably set up his own. But before long he had fallen into his favourite leisure pursuit and was again involved in gambling on horse racing, which had perhaps originally led to his failed exams back in England.
“On hearing this, his father threatened to cut his allowance and seek his return. For a short time at least, Alfred went into sheep farming. This was not to last long however, his interests inevitably shifted over a game of cards in which he won a share in what became the Broken Hill silver mine, for a sum £120.
“He would return to England a wealthy man in the late 1880s with his shares value then estimated at £1,260,000 (some £70m in today’s terms). On his return he became one of Britain’s most successful racehorse owners.”
Jacobite glassware is also on sale.
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