Our Victorian collection includes important artefacts directly associated with Queen Victoria. Some of our most interesting 19th century objects are featured in the gallery. Highlights include the elaborate Highland outfit gifted by Queen Victoria to her Highland servant, John Brown and a fabulous beetle wing dress owned by a crofter’s daughter who travelled to India with the British Army.]]> The museum’s Jacobite collection is world famous and features numerous objects associated with key figures from the campaign such as Bonnie Prince Charlie and Flora MacDonald. Gallery highlights for objects associated with the Prince have fascinating stories to tell, from a tree root stool which sisters feuded over, to banknotes he commissioned to pay his Army. Not to be missed is our iconic Secret Portrait, an anamorphic hidden image of Bonnie Prince Charlie.]]> The first pair are percussion pistols with octagonal barrels, a ramrod, and a belt hook, and were made by gunsmith W. Powell. They date from the 1830s or early 1840s. There is a pistol and a spare. They would probably have been sold together in a presentation box, usually with gunpowder and a bullet making kit.
The second pair are percussion mechanism pistols made by Hewson of London, a fairly big gun manufacturer of the era. These pistols have been dated to the first decade of the 19th century. They are a last defence weapon and a person would conceal the weapon on their person and use it to either end their own life, or the life of their attacker.]]> In 1928 The Strange Plate came into the museum’s collection, a copper plate made in 1746 and intended to print bank notes for the Jacobite cause. Cameron, was one of the earliest supporters of the museum which was founded in 1922. As one of the foremost printers of his day, he printed 57 signed proofs from the plate and these were sold for 10/6 to raise funds for the museum. Prints sold at auction in 2019 and 2020 made £875 and £1,625 respectively. The object featured in the West Highland Museum’s “Prince Charles Edward and the ’45 Campaign” exhibition, 1925.]]> Designed and etched by the artist Robert Strange (1721 -1792), the plate is completely unique and was intended to be used to print bank notes during the 1745 Rising, but was never used. When the Jacobite army was defeated at the Battle of Culloden, the army fled and the plate was found abandoned at Loch Laggan. It was presented to Clan MacPherson and remained in their care until the museum purchased it in 1928. The object featured in the West Highland Museum’s “Prince Charles Edward and the ’45 Campaign” exhibition, 1925.]]>