Month: June 2025
Highland Bling
Gross or grouse? You decide. But this curious creation isn’t just a macabre ornament – it’s a piece of Scottish courtship history.
In 19th-century Scotland, a young man might gift his sweetheart a grouse foot as a token of cunning and worth. The red grouse, prized for its elusiveness, symbolised cleverness and skill – not bad qualities in a suitor. When Queen Victoria popularised all things Scottish, this rustic gesture got the full Victorian treatment. Enter the grouse-foot brooch: part taxidermy, part jewellery, and wholly strange by modern standards.
This example goes all in on the flair. It’s mounted in silver with a stag’s head detail, has a vivid foil-backed glass stone and a full set of Edinburgh silver hallmarks. The most collectible examples are Scottish-hallmarked, and the finest feature natural Scottish stones such as cairngorm or amethyst. This one ticks most of the boxes – minus the gemstone upgrade.
Striking, unsettling, and unmistakably of its time, this footed fashion statement adds a wild twist to any collection.
Vive la Vache!
It’s not every day that we feature bovine medals of excellence so please forgive us if we milk this today. This handsome silver medal from 1888 was awarded by the Comité Agricole et Commercial de Commercy to a Madame Chesnier for taking first prize in the heifer category. On one side, the proud profile of Marianne, the personification of the French Republic, stares resolutely into the distance beneath the inscription République Française. The reverse is a bucolic farming scene bursting with agricultural detail, featuring cattle, pigs, and a working farmer, all topped by the Gallic rooster, France’s national symbol.
Still housed in its original leather case with silk lining, this piece isn’t just a prize but a patriotic symbol. In the years leading up to the 20th century, French agricultural awards reflected national priorities. Rewarding food production was seen as vital, especially with military preparations never far from mind.
Undoubtedly, this would beef up any collection.
The Gurkhas – A Cut Above
This compact collection is a tribute in miniature to the legendary Gurkha regiments, whose curved kukris are as iconic as their courage.
The centrepiece is a well-patinated 4th Gurkhas cap badge mounted on green cloth, with the Roman numeral IV nestled between two classic crossed kukri blades. Alongside it are two striking unofficial variants, one with bold brass construction and the other in silver tones, showing how even non-regulation badges carried symbolic weight and battlefield pride.
Then there’s the standout: a large decorative kukri inscribed with “Presented by WOs & SGTs Mess 2/6th GR”. It was likely a mess-gifted memento to a fellow soldier of note. While the recipient’s name remains unknown, the sentiment behind the piece is clear.
Completing the group are two more unofficial Gurkha badges, each proudly featuring the crossed kukri motif. These examples capture the no-nonsense design that resonated with regiments who valued clarity, identity and tradition.
From North Africa to Italy and into the Burmese jungle, the Gurkhas played a key role in the Second World War. The 2nd Battalion of the 6th Gurkha Rifles, for example, joined the Italian Campaign and later earned two Victoria Crosses in a single day during Operation Thursday in Burma.
Stamping Out the Fakes: Edwardian Watermarks
To the untrained eye, they’re almost invisible. But look closely at these Edwardian stamps and you’ll spot one of the era’s more elegant acts of postal espionage: anti-counterfeiting watermarks.
Introduced as a quiet defence against forgery, these watermarks were pressed into the paper before printing – a subtle but effective deterrent for would-be scammers looking to cheat the system. Some feature simple initials like “E R” or crown motifs; others show wavy line patterns designed to frustrate replication attempts.
Collectors prize these marks not only for their historical function, but for the insight they give into the printing methods and security priorities of the early 1900s. They’re also a handy way to distinguish between stamp variants that may look identical at first glance.
Watermarks were a big deal in the Edwardian period, and spotting a crisp, well-positioned one today can elevate a stamp from ordinary to truly collectable.