Princess Diana's French Lesson Book With Extensive Handwriting Among Highlights at RR Auction
BOSTON, MA - Princess Diana's sterling silver card case sold for $20,974 according to Boston-MA based RR Auction.
The case was among belongings Diana had personally donated to charity months before her death on Aug. 31, 1997.
Engraved on the front, "Diana," and was given to her as a gift by her 'Granny.' The handsome case has a lovely, ornate design on the exterior with leather card pockets inside.
"What makes these items incredibly special is the strong sentimental value they offer, many coming directly from Princess Diana," said Bobby Livingston, Executive VP at RR Auction.
Highlights from the sale include, but are not limited by:
Diana’s hand-written French vocabulary book from her time at a Swiss finishing school sold for $15,204.
A 17-inch (43-centimeter) silver necklace with a capital "D'' charm that Diana is thought to have worn as a teen sold for $8,893.
Princess Diana and Mother Teresa photo and signature display sold for $8,636.
A casual white sweater likely worn in Diana’s teenage years sold for $8,572.
Princess Diana's elegant black metal mesh handbag sold for $7,411.
Princess Diana signed Red Cross photograph sold for $7,136.
Princess Diana sterling silver perfume bottle sold for $6,270.
A silver locket containing a photograph of Princess Diana and her sons Prince Harry, and Prince William sold for $6,209.
The Princess Diana Tribute auction from RR Auction concluded on September 13. More details including results can be found online at www.rrauction.com.
Princess Diana's French Lesson Book With Extensive Handwriting
Remarkable circa 1978 handwritten French vocabulary notebook from her time at Swiss finishing school, marked on the front cover in her own hand, "Diana Spencer, Madame Fowls Vocabulaire, Articles de Fowlor."
Inside are a total of 19 pages full of handwritten notes (most double-sided), plus a couple of additional lines, consisting of translations of vocab words from French to English.
Affixed throughout are small photocopies of short French articles, apparently used in her class.
Accompanied by a letter of provenance from Sally Fell, the head chef at Althorp, in part: "I was employed as head chef at Althorp House during the 1980s when Diana, Princess of Wales, was a regular visitor.
During this period Raine Spencer was in the process of totally redecorating Althorp in her own style. As Diana now permanently resided in London, one of the rooms listed for redecoration was her old bedroom and the butler at the time, Carl Ackerman, was instructed to remove all of Diana's belongings and offer them to the staff, or dispose of them if no interest was shown. All the items were placed on a long table in the courtyard, and we the staff were invited to take what we wished, which is how I came to possess Diana's French vocabulary school book."
“We know of only one other example of Diana's schoolbooks to be held in private hands,” said Bobby Livingston, Executive VP at RR Auction.
Diana attended Institut Alpin Videmanette, a finishing school in Rougemont, Switzerland, for one term in 1977-1978. It was during this period that she was first introduced to Prince Charles, who was dating her older sister Sarah. Their relationship lasted only briefly before dissolving over some of Sarah's comments reported in the gossip columns.
Diana and Charles's relationship blossomed in 1980, and they got married in 1981.
“It’s a truly remarkable Diana piece, filled with her teenage handwriting,” said Livingston. Executive VP at RR Auction.
