We would like to initiate ways our members, and visitors too, can feel inclusive and valued and have the opportunity of contributing to items on our website.   We have all acquired great knowlege through our own life experiences so we are living history and we also harbour a lot of trivia too, which can be surprisingly useful and very interesting. 

So here is our Gallery of Curiosities - if you have a treasure or trinket that you may have inherited or purposely bought but know very little about and would like to know more, send us a photo along with your question and it will be uploaded onto this page.  Alternatively, you may have some rare oddity that you think may be of interest, don't hesitate, we'd just love to see it allowing others to comment.  Anyone who has the answer to a listed question, just submit it by e-mail to me at info@artssocietymidwalesandborders.org.uk and it will be uploaded alongside the relevant item.  Rest assured all contributor's identities will be secure.  The following curiosities are awaiting replies so get your little grey cells working - we'd love to hear from you.

Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery sent this Personal Christmas Message from Belgium in 1944 to all military establishments sending the troops best wishes and Christmas Greetings and a happy 1945.  

A cloth shoulder badge of the 21st Army Group is shown on the right hand corner of the letter.

Here's the other side of Clementine Churchill's letter.  

There is no indication as to who the intended recipient was.

This letter has been written from Downing Street in December 1942 when Winston was in office as Prime Minister.  

Across front and back it reads: 

"You were one of the reponsive friends who, when I launched my Appeal for the Red Cross "Aid to Russia" Fund a year ago helped to build it into a Monument to the Russian People.  Between us we have raised nearly two and a quarter million pounds - Now - all of this - and more has been spent and the Russians still need and deserve more than ever all the medical and surgical supplies and all the comforts we can send them.

On New Year's Eve I shall be broadcasting a further Appeal and in the coming months I shall hope for the support and co-operation of the whole country.

Will you please help me again as you helped me before?

Yours sincerely,

Clementine S.Churchill

A letter from Arthur Conan Doyle regarding his theory on 'Ectoplasm'.  He was a member of the Society for Psychical Research.

The letter reads:

"Sir, 

No - Ectoplasm is only used as a means of functioning here - it is drawn from the human body.

The Etheric body is of Ether but as all its surroundings are etheric the effect is the same as we experience here.

The etheric body is the absolute facsimile of this one.  There is no change whatever - nor in its feelings or powers and often not in its occupations. 

You should come to my Sunday Services for February as enclosed - also I send some information. "

Yours sincerely, 

A Conan Doyle     Jan '30

This letter dated 22nd June 1887 written by Queen Victoria from Windsor Castle reads:

"Iam anxious to express to all the Women of Great Britain & Ireland - how deeply touched and gratified I am by their very kind and generous present.  I thank them all most warmly for it and shall value their gift of the Statue of my beloved Husband, very highly - as a touching rememberance of this interesting and never to be forgotten day and of their great loyalty and affection.

Victoria

This photograph shows a copy of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam in its original leather binding before it was bejewelled by Messrs. Sangorski & Sutcliffe, becoming known as The Great Omar and was lost on the Titanic.  In fact, 'Lost on the Titanic' was the title of a recent lecture given by Dominic Riley and the copy you see here was on display for all to see.  This was the original first edition of 1884 meauring 13" x 16" in folio format which sold out within 6 days.  Subsequent reprints were all in a smaller format.  A copy of that smaller format published by Siegle, Hill & Co. was also on display.   More images to follow of both books.

This is the first page Frontispiece inside the cover of the same edition selected by Sangorski & Sutcliffe

This photo illustrates the original Dust Jacket which is now somewhat delicate.

The following photographs show Sangorski & Sutcliffe's version of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam reproduced from their original manuscript in 1910.  This is a Limited Edition No. 464 of 550 copies bound in vellum measuring 13" x 14".

The following two photographs, which appear alongside each other as a double page spread, illustrates perfectly the skill of the combined artistry of Francis Sangorski and George Sutcliffe.

Here is the facing page of the previous photograph 

Here is one of the most famous texts from this Limited Edition

Here are the signatures of both creators of this Seigle Hill Limited Edition No. 464 of 550 copies

One of three images of a A.G.M Report to the Directors of The Severn Valley & Powysland Flannel and Tweed Mills Limited dated 1891 whereby Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones is named as its Chairman.  A further two pages form part of this report.

Document 2 - Report of the Directors and Balance Sheet  19th March 1892

Balance Sheet dated 19th March 1892

Does anyone know about Welshpool Pottery? These two little earthenware terracotta jugs measure 4” and 5” high with a green inner glaze. See Photo 2 for impressed base mark. 

Answer:

Welshpool Pottery - Impressed mark to base.  Have you seen this anywhere else?

Answer:

This neat little gold pen was made by Conklin, an American company.  

It's unique feature is it's crescent style wheel which when turned automatically fills the barrel with ink.

Have you ever seen a pen with such an unusual and innovative method of refilling?

Answer:

I inherited this little diorama ornament from my grandmother.  It shows a family scene of new parents feeding their baby  and titled on the base "Three o'clock in the Morning".    It has no marks on the base.

Does anyone know where was it made and when?

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Answer:

This delicate collapsible fan measures approx. 8" across ad made from fine shimmering sea-shell like material, possibly a type of Bakelite.  The blades, once decorated with a fine design, now faded, are all connected with threaded ribbon.  The silhouette of a man dressed in Regency style with pony-tail bouffant adorns the centre blades.  The split handle, into which the fan collapses, bears the impressed name of 'Hotel du Bruxelles' on one side.   Perhaps these were gifted to selected residents of the hotel.

We would like to know more .......... can anyone offer further information on this delightful item?

Answer:

 Cobalt blue and white vase depicting domestic items and flowers standing 9"  high.  See  Photo No. 2.

 Would this be Chinese and if so how old?

Answer:
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Base of Chinese Vase showing factory mark.  Do you recognise it?

Answer:

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This early wooden toy stands 10” high and was originally mounted on a frame allowing the doll to swing full circle like a trapeze artist. Does anyone have anything similar and maybe advise the date it was made and where?

Answer:

My Dad made this for me when I was born in 1941.  It is based on the destroyer HMS Javelin.  He told me they sent a midshipman into the bottle with a cable who tugged it in.  Was this true or was I being bottle fed? If not, how was it done?

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