Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle, a very important late 18th century solid gold sash badge, 84 x 51mm, 122.71g, the finely modelled figure of St Andrew set within an oval border bearing the moto of the Order and Thistle spray finely chased on each side, surmounted by oval gold floreate loop suspension, circa 1770-80, extremely fine £25000-30000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Fine British Orders from the Collection of the late Thomas Halpin.

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Ex Christie’s 18 April 1979, ‘Sold by order of the Executors of the estate of the 12th Earl of Galloway’.

When originally sold this badge was ‘presumed’ to have been worn by Admiral Sir George Stewart, K.T., 8th Earl of Galloway (1768-1834) who succeeded his father to the title in 1806, and was elected and invested as a Knight of the Thistle in May 1814. However the 7th Earl, Sir John Stewart, was elected and invested as a Knight of the Thistle in November 1775, and it is from this period that the style and size of the above badge would seem more properly to belong, though, no doubt, also worn later by the 8th Earl. Sold with a modern full dress sash.