In Memoriam card Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli 1881
An A6 printed memorial card for Benjamin Disraeli, bordered in black, with his head embossed; in black it is titled 'In Memoriam - Earl of Beaconsfield, K.G., Born in the year 1804. Died April 19th, 1881, with a poem by H.B. Worth (author of 'Stray Leaves'); published by S. Marks and Sons, 72, Houndsditch, London; in excellent near fine condition, with very little wear to speak of, barring tiny nibbles to one corner and the bottom edge.
The Earldom of Beaconsfield was made specifically for Benjamin Disraeli by Queen Victoria in 1876, and as a town in Buckinghamshire, a borough he represented throughout his parliamentary life, it seemed apt. There have since, been no others given the honour. He was twice prime minister, firstly in 1868 and then an eventful period between 1874 and 1880, a year before his political annihilation at the polls and then death a year later. There is not a lot known about the publishers other than it published a series of ‘in memoriam’ cards for famous figures of the time including General Gordon of Khartoum. Due to the ephemeral nature of the cards, and presumed relatively small print runs, they don’t appear in commerce often.