Lot 2: George Perfect Harding (British, circa 1780-1853), after Hans Holbein the Younger (German, circa 1497-1543) Edward VI (1537–1553), King of England (1547-1553), wearing dark red doublet with gold embroidery, white tasselled collar, crimson over

Edward VI (1537–1553), King of England (1547-1553), wearing dark red doublet with gold embroidery, white tasselled collar, crimson over doublet with gold embroidery and ermine trim, jewel-set gilt-metal collar, black hat studded with pearls and dressed with a small white plume.
Watercolour on card heightened with gold, inscribed on the reverse Edward VI/ Harding/ after/ Holbein, gilt-metal frame with pierced spiral cresting, the reverse engraved Edward VI.
Oval, 46mm (1 13/16in) high
Provenance: Sotheby's, 9 November 1944, lot 40, sold to S.H.R. Harris for £12

Edward VI became King when he was just nine years old, upon the death of his father Henry VIII. His mother was Henry VIII's third wife, Jane Seymour (1508–1537). Throughout Edward's reign, the realm was governed by a Regency Council, because he never reached maturity. The Council was led by his uncle Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, (1547–1549), and then by John Dudley, 1st Earl of Warwick, (1550–1553), who later became the Duke of Northumberland.

Edward's reign was marked by economic problems and social unrest which erupted into riot and rebellion only two years after his coronation. It was during Edward's reign that Protestantism was established for the first time in England with reforms that included the abolition of clerical celibacy and the introduction of compulsory services in English.

Edward fell ill in 1553. When his sickness was discovered to be terminal, he and his Council drew up a "Devise for the Succession", attempting to prevent the country being returned to Catholicism. Edward named his cousin Lady Jane Grey (1536/7–1554) as his heir and excluded his half sisters, Mary (1516–1558) and Elizabeth (1533–1603). However, this was disputed following Edward's death and Jane was queen for only nine days before Edward's half-sister, Mary, was proclaimed Queen. She reversed Edward's Protestant reforms, which later became the basis of the Elizabethan Religious Settlement of 1559.