1. Duke of Wellington
Collection Honors
Battle of Waterloo
Bicentennial

2. In observance of the 200th anniversary of
the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 2015,
Sotheby’s will auction off a number of
historical items significant for their
association with the duke of Wellington.
The collection, which will be offered at
auction on July 14, 2015, includes a mud-
spattered campaign cloak worn by the duke
during the Waterloo campaign and
allegedly donned during its eponymous

3. The duke of Wellington reportedly offered
the cloak as a token of his affections to his
former lover, Lady Caroline Lamb, soon
after the battle. It eventually reached its
first documented owner, Grosvenor Charles
Bedford, in 1823. While the garment passed
to Bedford’s descendants, it has never
before appeared at an auction or public
exhibition, and Sotheby’s estimates its
value at 20,000 to 30,000 euros.

4. The collection also includes two portraits of
the duke of Wellington. The first, a
watercolor painted in 1816 by well-known
French artist Jean-Baptiste Isabey, depicts
the “Iron Duke” clad in a scarlet uniform
featuring the Order of the Fleece, set
against a stormy background of pale gold.
The painting, which is appearing on the
market for the first time, carries an
estimated value ranging from 15,000 to

5. The second portrait, created by prominent
painter William Grimaldi, dates back to
1817. Drawing inspiration from a marble
bust created by Joseph Nollekens in 1809,
the portrait features a characteristic
trompe l’oeil effect. It is one of a total of
25 portraits completed by Grimaldi for the
duke that ranged from similar enamel
pieces to watercolors. Sotheby’s estimates
the work at 6,000 to 8,000 euros.