Orders, Decorations and Medals

4th Bengal Light Cavalry, an important and extremely fine large rectangular miniature on ivory panel (13cm x 21cm), portrait of a Lieutenant-Colonel c1830-1845, the officer is shown three-quarter length in full dress carrying his shako and gloves in his right hand while his left hand rests on his triple bar 1822 pattern light cavalry sabre; the jacket in light blue shows red/orange facings and is heavily embellished with silver lace and three lines of silver buttons, the stand-up collar and cuffs embellished with extra silver lace as befits the sitter’s rank; the pouch belt in silver lace on red moroccan has a red/orange central silk line and is fitted with silver pricker plate en suite; his five band girdle is of gold and crimson lace; the narrow waist belt is of silver lace on red leather and fitted with a rectangular silver coloured clasp; the overalls of dark blue show a single silver and red/orange side stripe; the shako is the 1830 Light Dragoon ‘bell-top’ pattern and is ornamented with silver lace top band gold lace festoons and silver chin scales the Maltese cross pattern plate is silver and gilt a large gold lace cockade supports a gilt plume holder the flowing plume is white over red; the head and neck of the officer’s charger are shown over his left shoulder; in the right background is another mounted figure of the regiment; a hand written inscription states ‘Colonel C King 4th Bengal Light Cavalry (Lancers) Presented to Mrs King by the officers of that Regiment on Colonel King’s retirement circ.1838’. The portrait mounted on card is enclosed within a very fine decorated gilt plaster frame which in turn is mounted within a brown velvet lined rosewood frame, slight damage to the rosewood frame otherwise extremely fine £1000-2000

See Colour Plate II

Charles Prager King (1788-1846) 4th Bengal Light Cavalry Cadet 1805 arrived in India July 1806 Cornet 1806 Lieut 1816 Captain 1819 Major 1825 Lieut-Colonel 1833 Invalided home 1839 retired 1841 died London 19 March 1846