Fall Discovery Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/29/2014
Sir Henry Irving, (born Feb. 6, 1838, Keinton Mandeville, Somerset, Eng.—died Oct. 13, 1905, Bradford, Yorkshire), one of the most famous of English actors, the first of his profession to be knighted (1895) for services to the stage. He was also a celebrated theatre manager and the professional partner of the actress Ellen Terry for 24 years.
This is truly an amazing document. The art work of a cab driver with horse and the calligraphy throughout is done in hand with multi colors ink and even gold leaf to embellish the beautiful presentation to Sir Henry Irving for his support to the “Cab Drivers of London”. The document was given the same month that Sire henry Irving became the first in his profession to be knighted by the Queen Victoria.The document is housed in a hand made wood frame in the shape of a Horse shoe. The document reads in part: Cab drivers benevolent Association had a meeting of the committee held at 15 Soho Sq. W. on the 5 July 1895 Major Grimston in the chair it was Unanimously Resolved that this committee desire to return their sincere and heartfelt thanks to Sir Henry Irving for his great kindness in presiding at the festival winter held in the Whitehall rooms on the Saturday the 15 June 1895 and to place on record their admiration of the graceful eloquence with which he pleaded the cause of the cabdrivers of London and their gratitude for his earnest and sympathetic advocacy which resulted in so large increase to the funds of the association. This document was once part of the Forbes collection.
Sir Henry Irving (Cab Drivers Of London)
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