United Kingdom. A Most Noble Order of the Garter, “The Great George” Collar Badge, c. 1860

A Great George Collar Badge of excellent quality, composed of silver gilt and enamels, featuring a Saint George in royal purple enamel attire with red cape, riding an extremely detailed white enamel horse with a gilt animal skin saddle pad and gilt mane and tail, spearing a green enamel dragon, the dragon lays on a heavily textured gilt rock, the underside is a convex shape of angled rays joining at a hand-etched cylindrical fastener, horse tail and based stamped with an “A” Vienna Assay Mark and maker’s mark “PL” (unknown maker), measures 47.68mm (w- horse tail to front knee) x 73.25mm (h- base to integral loop on St. George’s head), weighs 109.9 grams, major enamel restoration throughout piece, enamel flakes on Saint George, the horse and dragon, overall in very fine condition.

Contained in a 20th century hardshell case composed of wood and black leatherette with a white silk interior and cream coloured velvet medal bed, interior lid stamped “CLEAVE Court Jeweller & Medalist”, the exterior stamped “GREAT GEORGE of THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER From the Collection of THE AMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY GIVEN by SANFOFD [sic] SALTUS” in gilt, measuring 110mm (w) x 110m (h) x 56mm (d) , hinge and clasp in working order, overall extremely fine condition.

Provenance: From the Collection of American Numismatic Society. Morton & Eden, London, October 25-26 2006, Auction 22, Lot 938.

Footnote: The Order is believed to have been established in 1348 and was originally conferred in recognition of loyalty and military merit, although it later became an important tool in securing foreign alliances. Between 1714 and 1946, all nominations to the Order were made on the recommendation of the British government, but the Order is now conferred by personal gift of the Sovereign. The motto of the Order is “HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE,” Middle French for “Shame to him who thinks evil of it.” The Collar Badge is worn on formal occasions and collar days. It was created as an additional insignia of the Order in the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century.

Sanford Saltus was born on March 9, 1853 in New Haven, Connecticut, the only son of Theodore Saltus, founder of the Saltus Steel Company. He was an advocate for the arts and became a member of the American Numismatic Society in 1892. From 1897 to 1898 he was Second Vice President, and from 1900 to 1905 Corresponding Secretary. Saltus provided significant funding to aid the Society’s efforts to commission commemorative medals and was a prominent figure of the orders and decorations committee. On June 23, 1922, Saltus poisoned himself with cyanide. It is unconfirmed whether this was suicide, or a mistake made while cleaning coins.