November 17, 2020 Early Arms & Militaria: Age of Exploration, Empire & Revolution
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/17/2020
A magnificent and rare gorget of a British officer of the 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards, c. 1770-1785, made of copper alloy sheet metal, formed into a half-moon shape of convex profile, the edges rolled inside over wire reinforce; the Georgian coat of arms over scroll bearing motto “DIEUX ET MON DROIT” ("God and my right") engraved in the center, with “3RD” and “GDs” within laurel wreaths suspended from armorial devices, engraved on the left and right “horns” of the gorget, respectively; the gilded gorget measuring 4-1/4" L x 3-1/2" W at its widest points. In 1776, the Composite Brigade of Guards was formed for service in America, composed of strong detachments drawn from all three regiments of Foot Guards. It arrived in time to fight in the battle of Long Island and served with great merit in numerous other engagements, its American battle honors including White Plains, Fort Washington, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Charleston, Camden, Guilford Courthouse and Yorktown. As defined in Smith’s “Military Dictionary” (1779), a gorget was “a kind of breast-plate, like a half-moon, with the arms of the prince thereon; worn by officers of foot.” The 1768 Royal Warrant specified that the “King’s arms to be engraved on the gorgets; also the number of the Regiment” and were to be “either gilt or silver, according to the colour of the buttons on the uniforms” (those of the 3rd Guards being gold). This actual specimen is illustrated and described on p. 15 of Kochan and Troiani’s reference book, “Insignia of Independence: Military Buttons, Accoutrement Plates & Gorgets of the American Revolution” (2012). CONDITION: A 1/2" long pressure crack on the upper rim in center, to the immediate right of the crown; retains approximately 10% of the original gilding. JLK
Item Dimensions: 4 x 4"