Auction Catalogue

8 December 2016

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 136

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8 December 2016

Hammer Price:
£2,000

The Jubilee Medal pair awarded to Lady Fedora Gleichen, daughter of H.S.H. Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, a noted sculptor and the first female member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors

Jubilee 1887, gold, with lady’s narrow 1897 clasp (Countess Feodora Gleichen) on lady’s bow riband; France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, 4th Class breast badge, silver-gilt, gold, and enamel, with rosette on riband, extremely fine and rare (2) £1600-2000

Provenance: Gleichen Family Decorations and Awards, Spink, December 1990.

Lady Feodora Georgina Maud Gleichen was born Her Serene Highness Countess Feodora von Gleichen in London on 20 December 1861, the eldest daughter of H.S.H. Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and his wife Laura, Countess von Gleichen. The daughter of a man who, in addition to his naval duties, had practised sculpture with success, Countess Feodora studied art in her father’s studio at St. James’s and later with Alphonse Legros at the Slade School of Art. She completed her artistic studies in Rome in 1891 and regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy.

In 1913, following her mother’s death, she and her siblings were granted the unique right to take the rank, style, and precedence before the daughters and younger sons of English dukes. In 1917, when British citizens were required to relinquish all German titles, the Gleichen family retained their name but lost their comital status (and their ‘von’), and henceforth Countess Feodora von Gleichen became Lady Fedora Gleichen. Shortly before her own death she had completed her final work, a memorial to the fallen of the 37th (British) Division (which had been commanded by her brother Lord Edward Gleichen) at Monchy-le-Preux in France, for which she was awarded the French Legion of Honour. She died, unmarried, at her apartment in St. James’s Palace, London on 22 February 1922, and was later posthumously made the first female member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors.

Sold with a photograph of the recipient, taken from the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle.

For the medals awarded to Lady Feodora’s mother, Princess Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, see Lot 135.