Orders, Decorations and Medals

Queen Victoria’s Indian Attendants’ Decoration, 2nd Class (?), silver, gold and enamels, 65mm x 45mm excluding suspension ring, complete with silver-gilt suspension brooch, nearly extremely fine and very rare £2500-3000

See D.N.W., 12 December 2012, for an example of this award in gold.

A few examples of this rare award have been seen but its origins and use are a little uncertain. Two types of badge are known; one, entirely in gold with enamelled jewels to the hinged crown, possibly 1st Class, and a second, of slightly smaller diameter in gold but with silver rays, possibly 2nd Class. One is known to have been given to the Munshi Abdul Karim, Queen Victoria’s Indian Secretary. In the Royal Archives there is a note from the Queen dated October 27th 1890, at Balmoral ‘The Queen has presented the Munshi with the decoration of an Eastern Star. [signed] VRI,’ which may refer to this (Royal Service, Vol. III, David Stanley, refers). The same work illustrates a similar badge to that offered above which may be a 2nd Class badge; and a photograph of the Munshi wearing his badge.