The jewels in the crown of royal memorabilia: from Wedgwood to Picasso

Kitsch mugs are out and thoughtful design is in, says Anya Cooklin-Lofting, who looks at classic commemorative pieces ahead of King Charles III’s coronation

The Goldsmiths Company’s new coronation hallmark (The Goldsmiths Company)

“On this momentous occasion of a new monarch’s coronation, many will want to buy something as a ‘souvenir’ to commemorate the event and provide a keepsake reminder of this time in their lives,” says Jo Lloyd, head of the Decorative Arts department at Roseberys Auction House, a London-based auctioneer with sales of antiques, art, furniture and more. She believes, though, that the younger generation no longer values the traditional, kitsch commemorative mugs that flooded the potteries over the 19th and 20th centuries at the mere whiff of a royal event. Instead, she says that collectors are on the hunt for meaningful items across a range of collecting categories.

“For example,” Lloyd continues, “Pablo Picasso designed a two-handled earthenware vase in a pairing called Le Roi et La Reine (The King and the Queen), in the 1950s.” Ceramics played a fundamental part in Picasso’s career, and his ceramic works are highly sought-after, “so these would be a topical, solid investment for a royal collection,” she says. “Around 1908, Pilkington Royal Lancastrian pottery produced a lustre-glazed vase depicting Saint George and the Dragon with the words ‘Saint George for England’,” Lloyd continues. “This antique piece would be a show-stopping object with a patriotic connection but would need a healthy budget. The vase sold at auction in 2021 for £75,000.”

Constance Spry Crown and Lion vase, sold at Roseberys for £5,200 (Constance Spry)