Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Most Noble Order of the Garter, a most unusual late-Georgian ‘made-up’ blue silk Garter, circa 1820-30, the letters of the motto in solid gold with gold stops between the words, the borders formed of solid gold links, the oval gold buckle and clasp of fluted design and decorated with a grotesque mask, the pendant decorated with laurel leaves and with gold link borders as before, and terminating in a gold acanthus leaf drop, some cracks and breaks to border decoration but generally very good condition and very rare £5000-6000

From the early part of the 19th century, garters have been ‘made up’. That is to say, the garter is formed into the knot which would have appeared as if it was fastened conventionally, but the buckle is not used as such and is in part a clip. The garter is passed around the leg, the knot being placed towards the outside, the two pieces of the ‘buckle’ then being pushed together and locked.

These garters are, of course, personal to the wearer as they have to be measured to fit. (Ref The Most Noble Order of the Garter - 650 Years, Peter J. Begent & Hubert Chesshyre).