Canadian History Auctioned Off

by Barbara McPherson | June 4, 2009 at 10:40 am

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OTTAWA -- Three sterling silver flower baskets sold off by the government at bargain-basement prices on a government website were on loan to Rideau Hall(the governor general's residence) from Buckingham Palace, Sun Media has learned.

In the past two weeks a quantity of items from Rideau Hall have been auctioned off at bargain basement prices. There is a government web site, revealed by Sun Media that has listed numerous heritage items. The two most important apparently were only on loan from Buckingham Palace. These large sterling flower baskets were sold for just over $500 for all three. Their antique value and their association with the British royals could make them worth $10 000 each.

The baskets, made in London, England, in 1892 by the Charles Johnston Hill silversmiths, were wedding presents to Queen Elizabeth's grandparents.

According to the inscription, they were presented by members of the Spencer-Churchill family to the Duke of York, the future King George V.

While the three baskets sold for $532, experts say their link to the royal family could make them worth $10,000 each.

The baskets were among several pieces of silver and china from Rideau Hall sold two weeks ago for a fraction of their value on the Crown Assets Distribution website usually used to offload surplus filing cabinets and old computers.

The names of the buyers of the Canadian heritage pieces were not revealed.