THE FIELD MARSHAL SIR PATRICK GRANT (1804 – 1895) DESK SEAL
A LATE VICTORIAN NOVELTY LABRADORITE, GARNET AND GOLD DESK SEAL, CIRCA 1860
£1,134
Auction: 17 October 2023 from 10:00 BST
Description
The carved labradorite owl with cabochon garnet eyes in gold collet mounts, the owl resting on a labradorite socle base which forms the matrix, engraved with coat of arms within laurel garland suspending Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Dimensions
Length:12.2cm, matrix: 3.8cm
Footnote
Note:
Field Marshal Sir Patrick Grant, GCB GCMG (1804-1895), was born in Inverness-shire in Scotland, into a military family, with his father assigned to the 97th Regiment of Foot.
Sir Patrick Grant's own military career began in India and via various promotions within the East India Company, by 1854 Grant was Major-General. By 1861, he had returned to England with the honour of the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, which is seen depicted on this seal and dates it to the early 1860s. Grant took the post of Governor of Malta in 1867, which was followed by his promotion to Field Marshal in 1883 and the further honour of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in 1868. A highly decorated member of the British Army, The National Portrait Gallery have in their collection an oil on canvas illustrating Grant in full Field-Marshal's uniform of post-1880, wearing the sash, star and cross of the Bath, and the star of the order of St George and St Michael (NPG 1454). A Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea until his death, Grant's link and service to the British Army could be seen throughout his life.