Swatch of fabric removed from the royal robe worn by King George V during his coronation at the Delhi Durbar in Coronation Park on December 12, 1911. The fabric measures 3 x 1.75 and features stylized lotus flowers, the official blossom of India, set within another Asian motif, the paisley; the swatch was a part of a larger garment designed to symbolize the unification of India and the United Kingdom. Includes a copy of the original provenance letter, which states: “Piece of the material out of which King George V of England’s robe was made that was worn by him at the Coronation Durbar in India [1911].” In fine condition. The coronation of King George V and Mary of Teck as Emperor and Empress of India occurred at Delhi’s Coronation Park between December 7-16, 1911; the celebration was so lavish and so immense that a documentary film, With Our King and Queen Through India, was released in February 1912, although all but two reels of the film are now deemed lost.
