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Auction: 1008 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 58

An Early and Important Mid 17th Century ´Beaufort´ Lesser George, Reputed To Have Belonged To Prince Rupert of the Rhine The Most Noble Order of the Garter, Knight Companion´s (K.G.) ´Lesser George´ sash Badge, 92mm x 75mm, the obverse frame of pale gold comprising ten chamfered oval settings fore precious stones, divided by ten small decorated gold bows, five of the settings in gold (for rubies), the other five in silver (for diamonds), each setting reinforced beyond the mitre with additional cut card escallop work of small dimensions, the gold reverse showing the garter, the thickly lettered gold motto set in a peacock-blue enamel ground, the gold chape and buckle simply rendered, the whole surrounded by ten semi-circles divided by ten small oval pierced panels, the lowermost semi-circle covered by the chape of the Garter, the other nine delicately enamelled with white leaves on a pink ground, with small integral gold suspension ring and large gold setting loop, this also with a chamfered oval gold setting, minor blue enamel damage, otherwise extremely fine, extremely rare Estimate £ 30,000-35,000 The five diamonds and six rubies which at one time embellished the obverse of this Lesser George were removed, probably in the 18th Century. The diamonds have been replaced with crystals, the rubies with ´doublets´. The original central cameo was also removed, probably at the same time. This was replaced early in the last century with a fine quality agate cameo with a plain reverse. Provenance: Reputed to have belonged to Prince Rupert of the Rhine (1619-82), 1st Duke of Cumberland, the son of Frederick V of Bohemia and the nephew of King Charles I, who was created a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter in 1642. Exhibited: London, Park Lane, 1929, The Treasure Houses of Britain Washington, National Gallery of Art, 1985-86 Sold: Included in the ´Beaufort Garter Jewels´ sale, Christie, 21 November 1989.

Sold for
£22,000