Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Victoria Cross, an official Hancocks & Co, London, replica, the reverse engraved ‘Hancocks 198’, in fitted leather case of issue, extremely fine £200-300

The Victoria Cross was instituted on 29 January 1856, with the first awards back-dated to 1854, and in the first 150 years of its existence was awarded on 1,355 occasions (1,352 Crosses and 3 Second Award Bars).

To mark the 150th Anniversary, the London jewellers Hancocks, who have manufactured every Victoria Cross ever awarded, issued a limited edition replica, the replicas all individually numbered on the reverse, with the edition limited to 1,352 replica crosses.

Victoria Cross replica 198 corresponds with the Victoria Cross awarded to Lieutenant Charles Campbell Daunt, Bengal Native Infantry, whose Victoria Cross was sold in these rooms in July 2003 as part of the Richard Magor Collection, and now forms part of the Lord Ashcroft Victoria Cross Collection.

V.C. London Gazette 25 February 1862:
‘John Charles Campbell Daunt, Lieut., 11th (late 70th) Bengal Native Infantry. Date of Acts of Bravery: 2 Oct. 1857. For conspicuous gallantry in action on 2nd October 1857, with the mutineers of the Ramgurh Battalion at Chota Behar, in capturing two guns, particularly the last, when he, in conjunction with Sergeant Dynon, of the 53rd Foot, rushed at and captured it by pistolling the gunners, who were mowing the detachment down with grape, one third of which was hors de combat at the time. Lieutenant Daunt is also recommended for chasing, on the 2nd November following, the mutineers of the 32nd Bengal Native Infantry across a plain into a rich cultivation, into which he followed them with a few of Rattray’s Sikhs. He was dangerously wounded in the attempt to drive out a large body of these mutineers from an enclosure, the preservation of many of his party on the occasion being attributed to his gallantry.’

Sold together with Hancocks Certificate of authenticity, and related ephemera.