THE PROPERTY OF CHARLES MALDEN ESQ.
A FINE HISTORIC COOK ISLANDS STOOL, the curved rectangular seat with very slightly concave edges to the narrow sides, on four curved legs with drop-shaped feet, the underside inscribed: Pillow of the Queen of the Sandwich Isles Presented to Lieut. C.R. Malden R.N. 1825, glossy patina, crack to the seat with old bracketed repair

Details
A FINE HISTORIC COOK ISLANDS STOOL, the curved rectangular seat with very slightly concave edges to the narrow sides, on four curved legs with drop-shaped feet, the underside inscribed: Pillow of the Queen of the Sandwich Isles Presented to Lieut. C.R. Malden R.N. 1825, glossy patina, crack to the seat with old bracketed repair
51cm. wide
Provenance
Queen Kamamalu
Liliha, wife of Boki, Governor of Oahu
Lt. Charles R. Malden on H.M.S. Blonde
And thence by descent to the present owner

Lot Essay

On page 158 of his manuscript Lt. Malden writes: on the previous Sunday Boki and Liliah and several other chiefs asked to be baptised. This was accordingly done by the Chaplain, the Rev. R. Bloxham, Lord Byron standing sponsor. Before leaving the ship Liliah presented Mr. Malden with her pillow (which had belonged to the Queen) a low curved stool on four short legs cut out of a solid piece of iron wood. This is now in the possession of the writer.

On 27 November, 1823, King Kamehameha II (Liholiho) and Queen Kamamalu left Hawaii for London, where they hoped to negotiate a limited protectorate with George IV. They were accompanied by high chief Boki, Governor of Oahu, and his wife, Liliha. They arrived in mid-May, 1824, but some weeks later the Queen caught measles and died on 8 July. Grief-stricken, and recovering from the same disease, Liholiho sank into a decline and died six days later. Their bodies were entrusted to Lord Byron on H.M.S. Blonde, who set sail in October for Hawaii. Whilst in London Boki and Liliha were painted by John Hayter wearing a feather helmet and cloak and a feathered lei and kapa skirt respectively (see Rose, 1980, p.18, pl.XXIV, and p.192, no.165).

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