HRH QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI
FOR SALE: Queen Lili'uokalani's music console.
Crafted by Queen Victoria's cabinetmaker, presumably as an 1891 Gift of Ascension.
History says Victoria turned her back on Liliuokalani. The discovery of this cabinet is rewriting history.
"AND SHE WILL SING THE SONG THAT PLEASETH YOU" (with a rose on either side).
Shakespeare, her favorite author; born with perfect-pitch; it's all about The Queen.
The console was designed around Liliuokalani's most famous composition, ALOHA 'OE. The door panel displays the bird delighting to the beauty of the Maunawili rose blossom, the last line, or summation, of Aloha 'Oe. The artist was William Cowie (b. 1858-d. unknown). Cowie, a Scotsman, was lead artisan at the aristocratic "HIGH CLASS FVRNITVRE" division of Shapland & Petter's 19th century, RALEIGH CABINET WORKS, LTD., Barnstaple, North Devon. The highly prized Cowie pieces were sold under Royal Warrant. The museum in Barnstaple has graciously given us a copy of Cowie's original pencil sketch (see below).
Composed on guitar in 1878, Aloha 'Oe is still the most famous song ever written in the Hawaiian language.
"I understand the beauty of the Maunawili rose blossom,
'tis there the bird delights to the beauty of this flower"
The last line of Lili'uokalani's Aloha 'Oe (1878)
HRH Lydia Lili‘u Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamaka‘eha (b. 1838- d.1917)
Pre-acquisition viewing by appointment.
William Cowey's original pencil sketch.
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"The Blue Room" at Iolani Palace is a music room and Queen Lili'uokalani's music cabinet would be the centerpiece in any room, including The Blue Room. On a recent tour of the palace we noticed that the refurbished accent color in The Blue Room is gilded gold. But the original metal hardware in The Blue Room, ie. doorknobs, hinges etc are silver. The original colors of Her Majesty's music cabinet were blue & silver. With the recent discovery of this artifact, one has to wonder if the Iolani Palace restorations are correct? It was the gilded gold chairs that stood-out the most as possible error. Maybe The Blue Room was originally blue and silver, with less gold? ~~~ Iolani Palace is on Facebook. If you look at their photo album titled "Queen Kapiolani evening tours 2008" you will find a photo of a girl standing next to the piano in The Blue Room. You can see the silver hardware on the door that leads into the dining room while the picture frame above the piano is gold.
Also, notice in the photos before & after the piano photo the bouquets of fresh roses!? The Western rose was an elusive flower in 19th century Hawai'i yet King Kalakaua insisted on fresh roses throughout Iolani Palace. "Na pua rose" (the flower rose) symbolized "the children of Hawaii" or royal subjects. The roses seen in the photo just after the girl & piano photo are in The Blue Room. ~~~ Most would agree this blue, silver and rose-adorned music cabinet (a gift from Great Britain) was meticulously designed around Lili'uokalani's Aloha 'Oe for display in The Blue Room at Iolani Palace.
And if you have not been to the palace in that last 20 years (like us), things have greatly improved and it is well worth revisiting. The upstairs sleeping chambers and the service basement are now included in the tour. Just viewing Liliuokalani's imprisonment quilt and her butterfly hairpiece was worth the admission price.
And if you'd like to find out more about our all new "ALOHA 'OE" tube amplifiers
be sure to check out our other auctions by clicking "See other items",
Christmas is just around the corner! |
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