REVIEW: ORDERS, DECORATIONS, MEDALS & MILITARIA: 3 DECEMBER

Established in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland (also James II of England & Ireland), membership of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is in the personal gift of the sovereign, just as it is with the Order of the Garter and the Order of Merit.

While the latter two honours are strictly limited to 24 members – apart from supernumaries – membership of the Order of the Thistle is even more exclusive , being limited to just 16 members.

The extremely fine and extremely rare 22 carat gold Georgian Order of the Thistle Knight’s Investiture sash badge, which has just sold for £70,000 against an estimate of £18,000-22,000 in this sale, carries hallmarks for London 1821, maker’s mark ‘JJE’ for John James Edington.

It shows Saint Andrew, centre, Scotland’s patron saint, holding his cross, surrounded by the motto Nemo me impune lacessit (No one provokes me with impunity).

John James Edington (1797-1882) was a noted goldsmith and silversmith working in London with the Edington family jewellery business whose mark is to be found on fine quality insignia of the Garter, Thistle and Bath of this period. His daughter Maria married Charles Hancock at St James’s, Piccadilly, in 1842.

The Hancocks were, like the Edingtons, jewellers and it appears that following this marriage they took a step back from the industry. They did, however, continue as suppliers to the Hancock company who took good care of the Edington clan, making Hendon Hall in North London available to them for the rest of their lives.

An identical badge with accompanying breast star sold in the same rooms in September 2007 for £26,000.