A GOLD ENAMEL AND VELVET BOOK COVER, PROBABLY ALEXANDER JAMES STRACHAN, LONDON, CONTAINING AN ALMANAC FOR 1833 | A gold enamel and velvet book cover, probably Alexander James Strachan, London, containing an almanac for 1833

rectangular, the crimson velvet applied with brightly openwork enamelled birds, monkeys and squirrels within partially enamelled c-scrolls and flowers, containing Peacock's Historical Almanach for 1833, one page with a pencil drawing of Bushy House, possibly by George Hayter, unmarked

Overall good condition. The figure of the monkey on the reverse with a chip to the enamel, a few very small losses to the enamel on the scrolls throughout.
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Among the notes and drawings on the plain pages of the almanac is a sketch signed ‘A R fecit’, possibly referring to Queen Adelaide (Adelaide Regina). Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen (1792 –1849) was the daughter of George I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, and Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. In 1818, she married William Henry (1765 - 1837), later William IV, at Kew Palace, so becoming queen consort between 1830 and 1837. Another page of the present almanac has a pencil drawing of Bushy House. Bushy House was built in 1663 and was the official residence of King William IV and Queen Adelaide until the king’s death in 1837, after which she continued living there as dowager queen until  1849. The drawing is also signed ‘George Hayter’, referring to the English painter who had studied at the Royal Academy School. Having spent his time between Italy and London, George Hayter (1792 – 1871) was close to the British monarchs. All of the aforementioned facts allow the suggestion that this almanac might stem from the circle around Queen Adelaide, and indeed may possibly have belonged to her.