Medals & Coins, Arms & Armour - 2nd December 2025
Lot 6
A rare first pattern Edward VII King's Messenger's Badge, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, the oval
Estimate £2,500 - £3,000 | Hammer £3175
Inc. Buyers Premium
Description
A rare first pattern Edward VII King's Messenger's Badge, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, the oval badge bordered by a plain blue enamel band, EVIIR cypher to the centre in relief against a seeded ground, pendant silver greyhound to a scrolling bracket below, fitted for wear at the neck with an oval suspension loop to a corresponding bracket above, with a length of narrow blue silk neck cravat, reverse numbered '4', height excluding greyhound 65 mm, about extremely fine.
(36 mm width of oval part)
The Bamber Collection.
This elegantly austere variant of the Royal Messenger's Badge, of which only eight were produced, came about because of an objection on the part of King Edward VII to the use of the garter on such badges. The King felt that the badge bore too close a resemblance to the Lesser George of the Order of the Garter, and he was initially unaware of the association between the Garter and the Messengers Service that dated to the reign of Charles II. The matter was soon made clear to the King, and a more conventional design was adopted.