Queen Victoria (1819-1901)

C. R. Beard gives the full story in his A Catalogue of the Collection of Martinware Formed by Mr Frederick John Nettlefold, together with a Short History of the Firm of R.W. Martin and Brothers of Southall (1936). The relief was 'completed and fired in 1899 ... Thereafter it was submitted to the authorities at the Museum for approval. Only one fault was found with it - it was not coloured. [Martin] always hated criticism by those whom he considered unfit to pass artistic judgment, and in a fit of anger he put the plaque under his arm and marched out of the building. Later he gave orders for its destruction. Fortunately for future generations he did not insist upon this act of vandalism being carried out, and the plaque remained in the possession of the firm until the dispersal of the Martin Collection at Sotheby's in October, 1924. It is now in private possession, and it is to be hoped that it may one day find its way back, if not to the position which it was originally intended that it should occupy, at least to the great institution for which it was designed'.

Maurice Isaacs, whose donation ensured that the relief did find its way back to the Museum, described in a letter how he came to acquire it at the Sotheby's sale: 'I have a faint recollection of hearing, this was the stock of the Mr Martin, who died some time previous to this Sale ... It was ordered for the V.&.A. Museum, & through the Purchaser criticising it, they refused delivery, which was to have been erected on the Wall just inside the Main Entrance.'

The image is based on a well-known contemporary photograph of Victoria taken in 1897 by Bassano.