ANTIQUE 19thC VICTORIAN SOLID SILVER 'THE 12th ROYAL LANCERS' CLOCK c.1890

DESCRIPTION

Antique 19th Century Victorian very important & one of a kind military presentation clock, top of the clock inscribed XII Royal Lancers 1840 and with hour hand formed as the Lancers flag, encircled by the Garter motto Honi soit qui mal y pense - "shame on anyone who thinks evil of it, the motto of the British chivalric Order of the Garter, an order of chivalry founded by King Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. The Order of the Garter is dedicated to the image and arms of Saint George, England's patron saint.

The elaborate cartouche beneath, flanked by twin sfinks, laurel branches and above set with the prince of wales feathers, inscribed Presented to Field Marshal H.R.H George W.F.C Duke of Cambridge K.G. K.P., G.C.B G.C M.G G.C S.I Commander-in-Chief 1890 As a Token of High Esteem and warm regard from the Regiment which once, had the Honour of Claiming him as a brother officer. Below the Sphinx inscribed Egypt and Corinthian columns with ribbons inscribed Peninsula, South Africa 1851.2.3 Waterloo Sevastopol Central India, the sides with trophies of arms, the reverse with list of officers 1840-1890, surmounted by a realistically modelled figure of the Duke on horseback with a lancer flag in hand.

Hallmarked English silver (925 standard), London, year 1890 (P), Maker W.G J.L (William Gibson & John Lawrence, Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co, Regent St, London)

A correspondent from The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News (London, Saturday, 20 December 1890, p. 7) on a visit to The Goldsmiths’ & Silversmiths’ Co., ‘Was shown a clock to be presented by the 12th Royal Lancers to His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge. The clock is in the Gothic [sic] style, made completely, face and all, in silver, and a well-modelled lancer on his horse stands on the top. . . .’

Field Marshal His Royal Highness Prince George William Fredrick Charles, KG, KT, KP, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, KJStJ, ADC, Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Tipperary, and Baron Culloden was born at Cambridge House in Hanover, Germany, the only son of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge and his wife, the former Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel. He was styled Prince George of Cambridge until he succeeded to his father's dukedom on 8 July 1850. King George IV created him Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order in 1825. King William IV appointed him a Knight of the Garter on 15 August 1835. Queen Victoria conferred the following honors upon him: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (1845); Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (1855); Order of St. Patrick (1861); and the Order of the Thistle (1881); and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (1896). He became a personal aide-de-camp to the Queen in 1882 and to King Edward VII in 1901.

Prince George of Cambridge was educated in Hanover by the Rev. J. R. Wood, a canon of Worcester. Like his father, he embarked upon an army career. In November 1837, after he had served for a short time in the Hanoverian army, he received the rank of colonel in the British Army. He was attached to the staff at Gibraltar from October 1838 to April 1839. After serving in Ireland with the 12th Royal Lancers (the Prince of Wales's), he was appointed colonel of the 17th Light Dragoons (now Lancers), in April 1842. From 1842 to 1845, he served as a colonel on the staff in the Lorijan Islands.

The Duke of Cambridge became inspector of the cavalry in 1852. He held that post until 1854, when, upon the outbreak of the Crimean War, he received command of the 1st Division (Guards and Highland brigades) of the British army in the East. In June 1854, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. He was present at the battles of the Alma, Balaclava and Inkerman, and at the siege of Sevastopol. On 5 July 1856, the Duke was appointed general commanding-in-chief of the British Army; a post that was retitled commander-in-chief of the forces by Letters Patent in 1887. In that capacity he served as the chief military adviser to the Secretary of State for War, with responsibility for the administration of the army and the command of forces in the field. However, the commander-in-chief was not subordinate to the secretary of state. He was promoted of the rank of field marshal on 9 November 1862.

The Duke of Cambridge was the longest serving head of the British Army, serving as commander-in-chief for 39 years. Although he has deeply concerned about the welfare of soldiers, he earned a reputation for being resistant to doctrinal change and for making promotions based upon an officer's social standing, rather than his merit. In the wake of the Prussian victory in the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian War, the Liberal Party government of Prime Minister William Gladstone and Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell called for major army reforms. The resulting War Office Act, which Parliament passed in 1881, formally subordinated the office of commander-in-chief of the army to the secretary of state. The Duke of Cambridge strongly resented this move; a sentiment shared by a majority of officers. Under the Order-in-Council of February 1888, all responsibility for military affairs was vested in the office of commander-in-chief. An 1890 royal commission led by Lord Hartington (later the 8th Duke of Devonshire) criticized the administration of the War Office and recommend the devolution of authority from the commander-in-chief to subordinate military officers. The Duke of Cambridge was forced to resign his post on 1 November 1895, and was succeeded by Lord Wolseley, whose duties were considerably modified.

CONDITION

In Great Condition - No Damage.

SIZE

Height: 37.5cm
Width: 21.5 x 13cm
Weight: 4555g