Produced to commemorate the much-celebrated Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, this rare Antique Queen Victoria 1897 Enameled Tumbler remains a lasting memento from this historic event. Capturing all the heraldic splendor of the monarch's 60-year reign, known as the Diamond Jubilee, the delicately painted enameled cup softly shimmers with a graceful patina earned over the past 125 years.

A flowing ribbon framing heraldic imagery proclaims:

Dieu and Mon Droit

 Hony Soit Qui Mal Y Pense

One side of the tumbler is decorated with a profile portrait of the Queen in 1837 as she appeared at the time of her accession. The etched style lends historic charm to the lovely cup. The other side of the creamy vessel bears a monochromatic-toned portrait of the queen at age 78. Added coloration in deep red, sky blue, soft wheat and pastel green enhance the image with contrast and detail. Pictured in her traditional widow's mourning cap and crown, the queen is surrounded by additional symbolic renderings including the Royal Standard with stylish feathers & flourishes, delicate florals and the Diamond Jubilee year of 1897. Also depicted is the Coronation Crown, which incidentally was not borne by the young queen for her Coronation due to its massive circumference and staggering weight.

Preserved in lovely condition with its gleaming gold accents encircling the perimeter still largely intact, this Diamond Jubilee tumbler is sure to retain its regal bearing among your royal memorabilia collection.

Strictly one-of-a-kind and subject to prior sale. Exterior in good antique condition with points of enamel loss around the base perimeter. Significant enamel loss to the underside metal base as seen in the alternate images. Tumbler measures 4"H x 3.5" in diameter.

Learn More About Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from June 20, 1837 until her death on January 22, 1901. From May 1, 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India.

Victoria was born on May 24, 1819 and was the daughter of Prince Edward, the fourth son of King George III. In a twist of fate, both her father and the King died in 1820, and Victoria was raised under close supervision by her very strict German-born mother Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. On June 20, 1837, Victoria's uncle King William IV died at the age of 71, and at the very young age of 18, Victoria became Queen.  In her diary she wrote, "I was awoke at 6 o'clock by Mamma, who told me the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Conyngham were here and wished to see me. I got out of bed and went into my sitting-room (only in my dressing gown) and alone, and saw them. Lord Conyngham then acquainted me that my poor Uncle, the King, was no more, and had expired at 12 minutes past 2 this morning, and consequently that I am Queen."

The United Kingdom was already an established constitutional monarchy, in which the Sovereign held relatively few direct political powers. Privately, Victoria attempted to influence government policy and ministerial appointments. Publicly, she became a national icon, and was identified with strict standards of personal morality.

Victoria married her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1840. By all accounts a happy union, their nine children married into royal and noble families across the continent, tying them together and earning Victoria the nickname "the grandmother of Europe".

After Albert's early death in 1861, Victoria plunged into deep mourning for the remainder of her life, choosing to wear black and having a special crown fashioned that would allow her widow's cap (head veil) to remain in place for royal engagements. 

The 50th anniversary of her reign, her Golden Jubilee, was a time of joyous public celebration on June 24, 1887. Just 10 years later Queen Victoria would surpass her grandfather King George III as the longest-reigning British monarch on 23 September 1896, an event she marked privately at Balmoral Castle.  Writing in her journal, she reflected "People wished to make all sorts of demonstrations, which I asked them not to do until I had completed the sixty years next June." The Diamond Jubilee became a historic opportunity to celebrate Victoria's status as longest-reigning monarch, in addition to marking 60 years on the throne.

On the anniversary date of her accession, 78 year-old Victoria once again reflected in her journal: "This eventful day, 1897 has opened, and I pray God to help and protect me as He has hitherto done these sixty long eventful years! I feel sad at the new losses I have sustained... God will surely help me on! How well I remember this day sixty years ago when I was called from my bed by dear Mama to receive the news of my accession!"

Until the record-setting service of Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria's reign of 63 years and seven months was the longest of any other British monarch and the longest of any female monarch in history.  Still referred to today as the Victorian era, it was a period of vast industrial, cultural, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom.

Learn More about Coronation Memorabilia

As a means to commemorate historic events - including coronations; silver, golden and diamond jubilees; royal weddings and royal visits to distant lands - artisans and craftspeople were commissioned to create beautiful pieces of memorabilia. Highly collectable, they are much more than mementos of an event long past. They are lovely pieces created to capture the spirit of their time as much as they capture our imaginations today.