ADAMS MARCUS: (1875-1959) British Society Photographer, noted for his portraits of children.

An interesting archive of letters, personal papers, original photographs and drawings etc., previously belonging to Adams, featuring correspondence between Adams and his sitters, most notably the young Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth II, and quite possibly including the earliest signature of the monarch (aged 3 years) to have ever appeared at auction.

The archive includes –

(i)                 An extremely early, bold pencil signature (‘Elizabeth’) by Princess Elizabeth, at just 3 years of age and most likely executed with the assistance of her nurse, Clara Knight (1879-1946), known as ‘Allah’ within the Royal household, at the foot of an A.L.S. C Knight, by Knight, one page, 8vo, Piccadilly, 18th December 1929, to Marcus Adams, announcing ‘Your beautiful holly has made us look like Xmas already! The Princess says I am to say “Thank you very much for your lovely holly”. I don’t think I have ever seen such wonderful berries’.
(ii)               A remarkable and charming series of three folio sheets of paper removed from Marcus Adams’ sketchbook and featuring a series of bold pencil sketches and doodles accomplished by the three year old Princess Elizabeth, with the assistance of the photographer, the first image is open to interpretation and depicts the head and neck of what could either be described as a somewhat fierce looking animal with cat like features, or a human with a rather angry stare, annotated by Adams ‘Drawn by Marcus Adams July 31st 1929 with the aid of Princess Lillybet (sic) in the children’s studio, London’, the outline of the drawing, including the ears, most likely in the hand of the Princess and the facial features, in particular the eyes, most likely in the hand of Adams. A long arched line appears above the drawing, again annotated by Adams, ‘This line was drawn by Princess Lillybet (sic) July 31st 1929’, the page also featuring the surname ‘Adams’ written in capital letters, evidently by the photographer himself. The second page features a pencil list in the hand of Adams (including ‘Bulbs, Seeds, Roses, Sweetpeas’ and other garden and household items) over which appear a series of drawings of animal heads, most resembling cats, again evidently drawn principally by Adams in an attempt to teach the young Princess how to draw, but also with some less well accomplished drawings of animal heads, undoubtedly the efforts of the Princess. The third page features a pencil drawing by Adams of a large country house and gardens, with a sole figure walking across the lawn and with a large tree in the foreground, the page featuring a series of somewhat random and bolder pencil lines, scribbles and circles etc., obviously the work of the young Princess. The name Lilybet appears at the base of the page, in the hand of Adams, and is heavily crossed through in pencil, presumably by the Princess.
(iii)             A rare, early A.L.S., Elizabeth, one page, 8vo, Piccadilly, 18th December 1933, to Marcus Adams (‘Dear Mr. Adams’), stating, in full, ‘Ever so many thanks for the lovely holly you sent me today, and the Xmas cards. Wishing you a very happy xmas, from Elizabeth’. Accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by the Princess. Some light overall staining and soiling, slightly affecting the text and signature.
(iv)             A fascinating autograph manuscript signed (‘Marcus Adams’) by Adams entitled ‘Notes’ on my contacts with the Royal Family from 1928 to present day, nine pages, 4to, n.p., 1958, stating, in part, ‘…the curtain is completely raised to reveal the understanding of prophecy. The world will be awakened to realise the importance of this age and how vital the birth of Princess Elizabeth is in the fulfilment of things come…For this reason I appreciate… and feel highly honoured to have had the opportunity of making exclusive portrait records of the early life of this important personality……In as few as words as possible I hope to give readers some impressions of my contacts from the early age of 8 months to the present day……I have produced a series of portraits that convey the dignity of Royalty combined with a standard that justify my efforts, they are not just mere snapshots taken in a careless and casual fashion that may be news today and forgotten soon after… but never reach the standard of dignity that the Royal family deserve…Events can be recalled at the time of the Coronation of King George, when in one day over 200 called at the studio for press copies… to say nothing for the telephone calls… It was estimated that one particular group was produced… to some thousand million imprints. Besides the actual press there was always a constant request for right to reproduce… on mugs, jigsaw puzzles, handkerchiefs… babies rattles, almanacs, these all had be considered on their own merits, if any doubt was involved it was always referred to the Controllers of the Palace …I give these details feeling the readers should realise that it was not just the Royal Command to make a sitting but the work that it entailed after the actual pictures were made.…I well remember on one occasion at Windsor the leading cable got so warmed up it showed signs of burning…I recall an incident that happened during the sitting my assistant whispered to me that the focussing screen had smashed. I met the circumstance calmly by taking two stamps from my wallet and sticking it together. The King who was always alert, remarked What’s the trouble Adams, Oh only the screen is broken and I am mending the bits with two of your fathers portraits, they acted in a perfect fashion and we can proceed with all speed….I was working with the late Queen Mary and Princess Elizabeth, she was in a great hurry, so I lost no time… After I had finished my part Her Majesty turned to Mr. [Bertram] Park and said, As Marcus Adams has been so quick I can spare you time to make some pictures of me, which dress would you like best… Thus Mr. Parks made some interesting studies, whilst I acted as his assistant. She [Elizabeth] was a child and I treated her as a child… a sitting would last about an hour. During one sitting complete with baby Margaret and the parents: my son tells me I exposed about 300 plates, it was probably the most difficult task I had encountered…’ Stapled within stiff card wrappers bearing the ink title and signature of Adams to the front cover.
(v)               A.L.S., Marcus Adams “Gollywog”, one page, 4to, Swallowfield, Berkshire, Christmas 1931, to ‘H.R. Princess Elizabeth’, stating, in full, ‘A sprig of Holly and a big wish for a very Happy jolly & Bright Xmas from the Hills of Oxfordshire and the sender’.
(vi)             A collection of ten folio pages removed from a scrapbook belonging to Adams and with various A.Ls.S., T.Ls.S., autograph notes, a few pencil drawings, some original photographs by Adams, Bertram Park and Howard Coster (some loose and most neatly laid down to pages) etc., all relating to the photographer’s work with the British Royal family and others, 1929-34, including several A.Ls.S. by Helen Graham, Lady-in-Waiting to the Duchess of York, thanking Adams for various gifts of sweetpeas and flowers and in one letter stating ‘I am desired by the Duchess of York to thank you very sincerely for so kindly sending Princess Elizabeth & Princess Margaret each some photographs of themselves to send to their friends as Xmas cards which I need hardly say have given them much pleasure’ (20th December 1934), three A.Ls.S by Clara Knight, in one stating, in part, ‘Yes, the long frock will make a nice picture, but alas, just now, one wd. not look very pretty with two large teeth missing in front, but we hope they will be there by the time I bring the Princess to you again’ (10th April 1934), a small series of cards with details of Adams’ appointments with ‘Nurse Knight with Princess Elizabeth & Margaret Rose. Half an hour – not a minute longer’ at 11am at Kensington, 13th December n.y. and other individuals including Princess Paul of Yugoslavia etc., the original photographs (5) being studies of the young Princess Elizabeth, a studio portrait of Adams by Howard Coster etc.
(vii)           A collection of correspondence comprising around 60 A.Ls.S., T.Ls.S., a few telegrams etc., from various individuals, most ladies-in-waiting to various members of the British Royal family but also including some other notable individuals, all to Marcus Adams or his son Gilbert Adams, late 1920s-1990, most on the subject of photographs, thanking Adams for prints or arranging appointments etc., a few concerning him being granted a Royal Warrant, sending thanks on behalf of the Queen ‘for your kindness in writing to congratulate Princess Elizabeth after her first broadcast’ (17th October 1940), referring to birthday portraits of Prince Charles (1959) etc., the other correspondents including Diana Cooper (A.L.S., in part, ‘I am absolutely delighted with the photographs…I think the nicest is the one with the globe, full face of the baby, with its hand up. May I order some of these?’, 15th October 1930), John Piper (A.L.S. to Gilbert Adams, in part, ‘Your prints have been much admired by everybody…The one of the theatre interior is excellent: it makes it look like a real theatre!’, 7th August 1952), Terence Cuneo, Violet Bonham Carter, Sven Berlin, Lynn Redgrave etc. Many of the letters are accompanied by the original envelopes. A few with some dampstaining and age wear.


An exceptional archive of material containing several extremely rare examples of the autograph of the young Queen Elizabeth II in various forms. Some age wear, generally G to VG, Qty.

With fellow photographers Bertram Park and Yvonne Gregory, Parks’ wife, Adams formed the ‘Three Photographers’ group in 1920. Based in Dover Street, Mayfair, they each worked independently, but shared the use of printing, retouching and darkroom staff. Gaining notability for his portraits of children Adams took the first official photographs of the Duchess of York and her daughter Princess Elizabeth. Adams continued to work as a photographer of royal children until a sitting with Princess Anne in 1956.