Envelope signed by V.C. Recipient: General Sir Dighton Probyn (1907)

The Sender: The King's Financial Gatekeeper

The bold, heavily underlined signature belongs to General Sir Dighton Probyn (signing as "D. M. Probyn").

Beneath his name, his printed official title reads:

"Keeper of His Majesty's Privy Purse."

The Keeper of the Privy Purse was—and still is—the sovereign's personal financial manager, responsible for the King's private income, estates (like Sandringham and Balmoral), and personal charitable donations.

Probyn himself was a legendary figure of the Victorian and Edwardian eras. A fearless cavalry officer during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, he was awarded the Victoria Cross (Britain’s highest military honor for gallantry). Later in life, he became an incredibly close, fiercely loyal courtier to Edward VII (both as Prince of Wales and King), managing the monarch's notoriously complex personal finances with absolute discretion.

The Recipient: The Legal Establishment of Bedford Row

The envelope is addressed to:

"Messrs / Rawle, Johnstone & Co. / 1 Bedford Row, / W.C."

Bedford Row in London’s WC (Western Central) district is one of the historic hearts of the English legal profession. Rawle, Johnstone & Co. was an elite firm of solicitors established in the late 18th century. For the Keeper of the Privy Purse to be corresponding with them directly suggests this letter carried highly confidential instructions regarding royal properties, private trusts, or personal financial settlements.

The "Privy Purse" Handstamp

In the upper center of the envelope sits a remarkably rare violet, circular cachet. Though slightly faint, it reads:

"PRIVY PURSE / BUCKINGHAM PALACE"

This stamp was reserved exclusively for the official correspondence emanating directly from the financial offices inside the palace. It served as a security mark and a declaration of royal privilege.

Postmark and Postal Privilege

The orange-red circular postmark in the top right corner provides an exact timestamp for this piece of palace business:

It reads "OFFICIAL PAID / 7.30 PM / 21 OC 07 / LONDON S.W." (21 October 1907).

Because it was sent by a high-ranking state official on official Crown business, it bypassed the need for an ordinary postage stamp. Instead, the "Official Paid" mark designated that the postage was accounted for under the government's internal administrative billing.

135mm x 110mm

Minor wear, some staining.

R1,000