Six: Painter 1st Class S. Abraham, Royal Navy

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, 1 clasp, Suakin 1885 (Paintr. 2 Cl., H.M.S. Dolphin), surname spelt ‘Abrahams’; British War Medal 1914-20 (125441 Ptr. 1, R.N.); The Royal Victorian Medal, V.R., silver, inscribed ‘Presented to S. Abraham by Edward VII, H.M.Y. V. & A., Feb. 1 1901’; Coronation 1902, bronze, the reverse field inscribed, ‘Presented to S. Abraham by H.M. King Edward VII’; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (Painter 1st Cl., H.M.S. Royal Sovereign), surname spelt ‘Abrahams’, impressed naming; Khedive’s Star 1884-6, the first with re-pinned suspension claw, contact marks, edge bruising and polished, thus good fine or better and a most unusual combination of awards (6) £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals for Services at Sea from the Collection of the Late Oliver Stirling Lee.

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Samuel Abraham (or Abrahams) was born in Portsmouth in October 1861 and entered the Royal Navy as a Painter 2nd Class in January 1884. Quickly witnessing active service in Egypt, as one of those drawn from the crew of H.M.S. Dolphin for secondment to the Naval Brigade in the Suakin operations of 1885, he was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in May 1894, shortly after joining the royal yacht Victoria & Albert. Abraham went on to add two new ribands to his tunic in 1901-02, firstly the R.V.M. for his services in the Osborne party at Queen Victoria’s funeral, and secondly the Coronation Medal for 1902 - which is verified on the roll which lists him as a Painter 1st Class still serving in the royal yacht. His final entitlement - a single British War Medal 1914-18 - presumably reflected his brief wartime career prior to being pensioned ashore at the end of 1914.