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Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria Auction July 21 2005  - Scottish Regimental Plaid Brooches

A large and interesting collection of Scottish Regimental Plaid Brooches has been consigned to the July 21 Auction. The collection contains 68 brooches, including examples from almost every Regiment, and the overall quality is very high. Many of the pieces are magnificent examples of the silversmith’s art. At a time when the future of many Highland Regiments is in doubt these handsome and emotive objects are evocative memorials of a time when the Scottish Regiments were serving with such distinction in every corner of the Empire.

1. An Officer’s silver Brooch of the Black Watch by R. & H.B. Kirkwood, 66-68 Thistle Street, Edinburgh (Hallmarks for Edinburgh 1905), 97mm. diam., the finely wrought central figure of St Andrew standing before his cross is surrounded by a wreath of thistle.

The Black Watch, or Royal Highlanders, the oldest Highland Regiment in the Army, traces its origin to a group of six independent companies of Highlanders raised for service in 1725-29. The predominance of black, green and blue in their attire led to the name ‘Black Watch’, in contrast to the ‘Seidar Dearag’ or ‘Scarlet Soldiers’ of the other Regiments.

2. An Officer’s silver Brooch of the 74th Highlanders (Hallmarks for Edinburgh 1867), 95mm., the central ‘cairngorm’, surrounded by the Regimental Battle Honours engraved on a field of thistles.

The topmost Battle Honour is ‘Assaye’. The 74th Regiment, the Second Battalion of The Highland Light Infantry, greatly distinguished itself in India, particularly at the storming of Seringapatam, and later, under Sir Arthur Wellesley, it was present at his first great victory at Battle of Assaye, 23 September 1803, when every Officer present, save one, was either killed or wounded.

This brooch is dated 1867. At this time the Regiment was in Malta, and over the next few years it also served in Hong Kong and Malacca. In 1882 it took part in the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir in Egypt, and from Egypt it went to India and Ceylon.

3. An Officer’s silver Brooch of the Highland Light Infantry, by Kirkwood (Hallmarks for Edinburgh 1899), 99mm. diam. A most attractive brooch, the centre set with the Regimental Badge, a silver horn with gilt HLI monogram, gilt crown above and elephant below, surrounded by a wreath of thistles bound with a scroll bearing the Regiment’s many Battle Honours.

4. An Officer’s silver Brooch of the Seaforth Highlanders by Kirkwood (Hallmarks for Edinburgh 1881), 80mm. diam., the Regimental Badge, a Stag’s Head, with the Coronet and Cypher of H.R.H. Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany.

The Seaforth (Highland) Regiment, later numbered the 78th and then the 72nd Regiment, was raised by Kenneth Mackenzie, Earl of Seaforth and Chief of Clan Mackenzie. It was officered by gentlemen of the Caber Feidh and its ranks were filled by raw clansmen from the western highlands and isles, a large proportion belonging to the Sept of Macraes. They were first quartered in Edinburgh, but the doings of the ‘Wild Macraes’ caused such alarm that the Regiment was moved, first to Jersey and Guernsey, and then out to India.

5. An Officer’s silver Brooch of the 93rd (Sutherland) Highlanders (Hallmarks for Edinburgh 1836), 96mm. diam.

6. An Officer’s massive silver Brooch of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, by Kirkwood (Hallmarks for Edinburgh 1888), 80mm. diam. The Coronet of Princess Louise above a Boar’s Head (the crest of the Argyll family) and a Mountain Cat (the family cognizance of the Sutherlands). Under its charismatic commander Sir Colin Campbell, The Second Battalion of the Regiment won immortality at Balaklava as the ‘Thin Red Line’ which successfully repulsed the Russian cavalry.

7. An Officer’s silver brooch of the London Scottish by Kirkwood (Hallmarks for Edinburgh, no date letter), 92mm. diam.