8th Nov, 2022 10:00
Royalty, Fine Art & Antiques
Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - very rare military provisional driving license when she was Princess Elizabeth and was serving in the ATS together with a contemporary handwritten account of h...
Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - very rare 1945 military provisional driving license for when she was Princess Elizabeth and was serving in the ATS together with a contemporary charming handwritten and typed account of her service, photographs and related ephemera from her driving instructor in the A.T.S. The late Miss (Major)Violet Wellesley M.B.E.
The War Department Driving Permit No.B1232 named to 'H.R.H. Princess Elizabeth' and stating she has blue eyes, 5ft 4 inches high and has light brown hair and dated '1st March 1945'. Signed by the Princess in ink 'Elizabeth'. Official stamp to reverse No.1 Company T.C.M.T. Camberley and in ink 'Wellesley trainer 1st March 1945' 10 x 8 cm. Sold with a group of fascinating photographs of the Princess during her service in the ATS including driving a truck with her instructor Miss Wellesley, working on trucks, group shots and charming shots of the King and Queen visiting the Princess during her service. Various letters from Sir John Wheeler-Bennett on Buckingham Palace headed writing paper requesting Miss Wellesley to write a frank account of her time with Princess Elizabeth in the ATS for the Royal archives , her charming handwritten account with many anecdotes and typed versions of the same, other Royal letters including an envelope addressed to Miss Wellesley from Princess Elizabeth, press cuttings etc.
Provenance: Major Violet Wellesley M.B.E. (1897-1971) served in the First World War as a despatch rider and went on to become a driving instructor in the Women's Royal Auxillary Corps (Territorial Army) during the Second World War and as senior driving instructor was appointed by The King to teach Princess Elizabeth to drive when she joined up in 1945. She was awarded an M.B.E. in 1946. After her death in 1971 this unique archive was entrusted to her companion who in turn entrusted it to the vendor .
Sold for £6,800
Condition Report
We have been informed by the Adjutant General's Corps Museum in Winchester that they also have an album belonging to Major Wellesley including photographs and a provisional driving licence for Princess Elizabeth which is numbered B1230. Our example is numbered B1232 and has the official Corps stamp and Major Wellesley's name to the reverse leaving us in no doubt as to its authenticity. All the other written and printed ephemera in the lot is original with the exception of the wartime photographs which are post-war reprints ( the copyright for which vests with The Imperial War Museum). The photograph of Major Wellesley with her gas mask bag is the original.
In Person
To bid in person at auction for the first time please register for a bidding number in advance by filling out and submitting a registration form at reception. When registering in person we require photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence.
Live Internet Bidding
We are pleased to offer a live online bidding service through our website platform Reeman Dansie Global.*
Reeman Dansie Global offers an excellent auction experience on your desktop, phone or tablet without being in the room. The platform is complete with live audio and video feeds to enable you to watch and hear the auction as it happens wherever you are in the world. Additionally you are able to see opposing bids in real time and view the upcoming lots.
A Bid Live button will appear on our home page when the sale is live. Simply click this to sign in & begin.
New users will need an online account with us to participate in live auctions via Reeman Dansie Global. Once you have created your account and registered card details, you will be approved to bid for the auction.
*Please note that if you bid through our website you will be charged an additional 3% (plus VAT) commission on the hammer price.
Alternatively you can bid via www.the-saleroom.com To bid online, simply register with the-saleroom.com and visit the site on the day of the sale. Please note that if you bid through the-saleroom.com, you will be charged an additional 4.95% (plus VAT) commission on the hammer price.
Create an account
Absentee Bidding
For clients unable or not wishing to attend our sale we are happy to accept absentee bids. Absentee bids can either be left in person with our office team, phoned or emailed to us. We simply require lot numbers and descriptions and the maximum bid which you wish to leave. Absentee bids are then transferred to our auction pages and the auctioneer will bid on your behalf. If the lot can be purchased at a lower price than your maximum bid our auctioneers will always endeavour to work in your interest to purchase the lot for you as cheaply as other bids will allow. If the same bid is left by two people on a lot we will precedence to the bidder who leaves the bid first.
We are happy to provide condition reports for online and absentee bidders and to supply additional photographs on any lot. We ask that condition report requests are submitted at least 24 hours prior to the sale. (Whilst every care is taken to give an accurate condition report, we accept no responsibility for any omissions or errors in our reports. It is the buyer’s responsibility to view the lots and satisfy themselves as to their condition.)
Telephone Bidding
We are happy to accept phone bids for our Fine Art and Collectors’ sales. Phone bids may be arranged in person with our office team, by phone or by email. We simply require the lot number and details of the lots which you wish to bid on and contact phone number / numbers. Our phone bidders will call in advance of your chosen lot / lots and bid on your behalf during the sale.
Telephone bids must be booked by 4pm the day before the sale but can be arranged earlier, we have limited lines and certain lots can be over-subscribed for phone bidding, in such instances we conduct a first come, first served basis and we encourage clients to book well in advance or risk being disappointed.
Auction: Royalty, Fine Art & Antiques, 8th Nov, 2022
Storage Charges:- Please note that all lots of furniture bought in a Fine Art & Antiques Sale, will only be held at our premises until Monday PM, post sale. Our hours are 9am - 5pm and collections are not available outside of this time. All items of furniture will be collected by R & D Schofield Removals, from the Tuesday after the sale, at a cost per lot of £10 + VAT and £1 per day storage thereafter.
Viewing
Friday 4th November 1pm until 5pm
Saturday 5th November 9am until 1pm
Monday 7th November 9am until 6pm
Full Terms & Conditions relating to our auctions can be found here
Here at Reeman Dansie, we are happy to offer a complimentary online valuation service. Please fill out the form and press the 'Submit' button below.
To help us with your valuation please attach clear photographs of the item where possible. You can submit up to 5.
Approximate dimensions are also useful. Expect to hear from the appropriate valuer as soon as possible.
