Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Balmoral Highlanders, an extremely fine and rare ensuite full highland dress uniform of this small elite and prestiguous group of Royal attendants (1904).

Comprises a heavy guage navy blue woollen glengarry complete with very broad black silk tails similar lower edging and a broad pleated sewn-in cockade, a small woollen tourie to the crown, a superb silver badge shows a circular strap inscribed with the motto of the Order of the Thistle this is applied with the Royal Crest of the King in Scotland, a crowned lion affrontee upon another Imperial crown and holding in its outstretched paws the sword and sceptre, a black woollen cloth doublet this complete with 28 diamond shaped special pattern silver plated buttons (Firmin & Sons Ld London) within a raised edge the crest of the King in Scotland upon a lined background, the special Balmoral Tartan full pleated kilt with matching underwear trews, a full length Balmoral Tartan plaid, the massive plaid brooch in HM silver of open circular format engraved with Celtic roundels and strap work, stout pin to reverse, a broad black leather waist belt complete with ornate HM silver rectangular plate this with superb Celtic interwoven designs and central plain reserve (presumably the wearer was to have had his name or initials placed thereon), the belt has double ‘D’ ring attachments for the dirk which is of full regimental Highland pattern, the black leather sheath applied with four HM silver Celtic decorated mounts, the superbly carved black bog-oak handles with applied silver nail decoration, the finials of all three utensils decorated with circular engraved discs and knops, the plain blades and tines of the finest Solingen steel etched only with a running ostrich trade mark, heavy silver four link suspension chains terminate in ‘dog-clip’ fasteners. The skean dhu is of similar construction to the dirk again with decorated HM silver chapes and mounts. The sporran’s red morroccan purse is mounted with a beautifully shaped and engraved silver cantle, black patent leather central reserve, long white horse front embellished with three black horse hair tassles these depend from decorated silver conical shaped housings and chains, narrow black leather waist belt for suspension. Black leather dress brogue shoes, leather lined throughout are mounted with decorated HM silver rectangular front buckles and smaller HM silver strap buckles. Balmoral Tartan thick woollen hose complete this remarkable costume, the whole contained in a two tier black japanned carrying tin, the doublet with slight colour fading, the undertrews with many small moth holes and the hose severely mothed (no foot sections remain) the odd very small moth hole in the plaid and the shoes with fair service wear, otherwise in remarkably fine condition £6000-8000

A letter signed by the original owner of the uniform (Mr J. Harper) accompanies the lot, dated, 8 November 1948, it states ‘The King gave the dresses to the Balmoral Highlanders when they were disbanded.’ A further letter from The Royal Archives at Windsor Castle, dated 1984, states ‘In 1936 they were discontinued as a body, and the men were presented with their uniforms as a memento of their service.’

The hallmarked silver items show full hallmarks for Edinburgh 1903-04 and bear the makers marks “W.R. BLTR” and “ROBB BALLATER” for the scarce and collected Scottish provincial silversmith William Robb who worked in the village of Ballater, by Balmoral, from circa 1880 until his death in 1926. Major pieces are further engraved with the date ‘1904’ and the royal monogram ‘E.R.I.’ (Edwardus Rex Imperator) for King Edward VII who commissioned the work. Jackson’s Gold and Silver Marks refers.