Miniature coronation viewer, panorama

Souvenir Paper panorama commemorating the Coronation of King Edward VII. The rolled panorama is held within a tinplate viewer sprayed gold with two wire operating handles that move the scenes viewed through a cut out panel backwards and forwards. The panorama comprises crudely drawn scenes printed in colour depicting scenes from the Coronation including the arrival at Westminster Abbey, the Crowning and the Procession. A cardboard panel attached to the back of the viewer is printed with the title 'the Royal Coronation June 1902, English make'

The souvenir was purchased by Ernest King for one penny from a London street trader on the 25th June 1902 - a day before the planned Coronation. It therefore, offers an artist's impression of the Coronation. Ernest King first purchased a souvenir commemorating the coronation of King Edward VII in August 1901, nearly a year before the ceremony took place. However, he did not purchase a second souvenir until January 1902 and between this date and the original coronation date of 26th June 1902 the steady rise in his purchases indicates that the range and variety of souvenirs sold by street traders gradually increased over these months reaching a peak on 25th June. Although the Coronation was delayed until August due to the King being struck down with appendicitis on 24th June Ernest King only purchased one coronation souvenir after the 25th June. This suggests that manufacturers stopped producing souvenirs after June presumably assuming Londoner's enthusiasm for souvenirs and the coronation had reached a peak by this point.