Paper souvenir, scrap

Freestanding cut out paper souvenir commemorating the coronation of King Edward VII. The souvenir comprises embossed colour chromlithographed figures depicting the King and Queen in their coronation robes standing beneath a paper arch in two interlocking sections surmounted by a crown and guarded by four soldiers representing the four corners of the British Empire. When turned at an angle the two sections of the arch enable the souvenir to stand upright. This souvenir was printed in Germany but published and designed in London.
Purchased on 23rd June 1902 from a London street trader this was one of several penny souvenirs acquired by Ernest King to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII. King purchased his first coronation souvenir 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.