Pick of the week

In August, the West Sussex auctioneer Bellmans offered paintings, watercolours and prints from the collection of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1900–74). Here) by John Hayter (1800–95), which carried a £300 to £500 estimate and sold for £20,000. It was catalogued as and was said to be dated 1880. In fact, the date was 1830 and, although the day and month were not given, it must have been drawn before June 26. The girl was not any aristocratic child, but, as indicated by the coronet for a grandchild of a sovereign on the ottoman on which she sat, this was Princess Victoria just before she became heir apparent on the death of George IV. There is another 1830 drawing of her by Hayter in the Royal Collection; both he and his brother George were favourites with the Queen.