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THE SPENCER FAMILY GARTER REGALIA The Most Noble Order of the Garter (K.G.) was founded by Edward III in about 1348 and is dedicated to England's Patron Saint, St. George. The Order is limited to twenty-four companions, excluding the monarch and the Prince of Wales. It is bestowed by the Queen and is one of the few remaining Orders that is at the sole discretion of the reigning monarch. The Order's emblem is the Garter with its motto 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' which translated means 'shamed be the person who thinks evil of it'. Male members were titled 'Knights Companion' and female members 'Ladies Companion'. In the past the Sovereign filled vacancies upon the nomination of the existing members. Each Companion would nominate nine candidates of whom three had to be above the rank of Earl, three above the rank of a Baron and three above the rank of Knight. This system ceased in 1860 and thereafter appointments were made by the sovereign acting alone. With the installation of Emperor Alexander I of Russia in 1813 the membership was extended to foreign monarchs. On the death of a member the badge and star that they were given are returnable to the Sovereign but recipients often had their own regalia made either because they wanted a spare set or they wanted a more extravagant badge or star that was diamond-set to demonstrate their new exalted status.

THE UNIQUE SPENCER FAMILY GARTER JEWELS

FROM FREDERICK, 4TH EARL SPENCER (CREATED 1849), JOHN, 5TH EARL SPENCER (CREATED 1865) AND CHARLES 6TH EARL SPENCER (CREATED 1913)

Details

THE UNIQUE SPENCER FAMILY GARTER JEWELS
FROM FREDERICK, 4TH EARL SPENCER (CREATED 1849), JOHN, 5TH EARL SPENCER (CREATED 1865) AND CHARLES 6TH EARL SPENCER (CREATED 1913)
Comprising: a
A light blue silk Garter with raised gold motto 'HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE' and quatrefoil spacers, the tie with leaf decoration to the finely engraved terminal, maker's mark IE for John James Edington, 1836/7

b
A silver Star with central gold motto on blue and red enamel, mid-19th century, 8.5 cm. high, reverse engraved 'Hunt and Roskell, late Storr, Mortimore and Hunt, 156 New Bond St, London', with S and earl's coronet engraved by a different hand below

c
A silver Star with central silver motto with blue and red enamel, mid-19th century 9.2 cm. high, reverse engraved 'Hunt & Roskell, Jewellers to the Queen and the Royal Family, London', S and earl's coronet engraved below

d
A silver Star, the central silver motto with blue and red enamel, mid-19th century, reverse engraved 'Hamlet Jeweller to their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York, Princess Augusta Hesse Homberg, Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Sophia and His Serene Highness the Prince of Hesse Homberg. Princes Street, Leicester Square, London', with S and earl's coronet engraved below by a different hand, 6.3 cm. high

e
A very rare blue velvet Garter with diamond-set motto 'HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE' to the floral decoration of the tie, clasp and terminal, mid-19th century, 35.5 cm. long

f
A Lesser George, with carved agate centre of St. George slaying the dragon to the blue enamel and diamond motto and old-cut diamond surround, loop for suspension, total height 9.5 cm., mounted in silver and gold, reverse engraved 'Charles Robert 6th Earl Spencer, 19 July 1913'

g
A Lesser George, in gold, enamel and diamonds, the central polychrome enamel openwork figure of St. George slaying the dragon, to the blue enamel and diamond motto, diamond scrollwork above and loop for suspension, reverse with motto on blue enamel ground, total height 9.2 cm.

h
A George pendant, in gold and polychrome enamel depicting St. George slaying the dragon, loop for suspension, early 20th century, 4.3 cm. high

i
A Lesser George, sash badge in gold and polychrome enamel, depicting St. George slaying the dragon, with motto around on blue enamel background, similar motto on reverse, with loop for suspension, total height 5.6 cm.

j
A Lesser George, sash badge in gold, the openwork figure of St. George staying the dragon engraved on both sides with motto around, 19th century, total height 5.3 cm.

k
A silver Star, with central motto in rose-cut diamonds on blue enamel background to the central cross of synthetic rubies and radiating star, early 20th century, 10.5 cm. high

l
A diamond Star, with motto in diamonds on blue enamel background to the central ruby cross and radiating diamond star, reverse dated 19th July 1913 with S and earl's coronet above, mounted in gold and silver, 8 cm. high

m
A silver Star, with central motto in rose-cut diamonds on blue enamel background to the central cross of synthetic rubies and radiating star, reverse 'Hunt & Roskell, late Storr Mortimer & Hunt, London', 7.2 cm. high

Together with
The original parchment granting the Most Noble Order of the Garter to Frederick, Earl Spencer, 1849, together with wax seal in fitted case, also a book entitled The Statutes of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, 1840, all contained in fitted tooled leather case, the cover stamped Frederick, Earl Spencer K.G.
and
The Spencer Garter Robes comprising comprising blue silk velvet Garter Mantle, lined with white silk taffeta and emblazoned with a hand-embroidered gold badge to the left breast; Tudor-style bonnet of black silk velvet with a plume of white ostrich feathers; and a blue and gold silk tasseled cordon; together with the coronation suit of an earl, comprising doublet, trunk hose and favour of silver tissue in the Tudor style, a pair of cream silk stockinette hose, and crimson silk velvet mantle; and an associated sword, the tapering blade and gilt-brass hilt with flattened straight quillons, quillon-block and wire-bound grip, one quillon engraved 'JAMES, 3RD DUKE OF ABERCORN, KG. 1937 GERALD, 7TH DUKE OF WELLINGTON, KG. 1953', the quillon-block engraved 'JOHN 5TH EARL SPENCER KG 1902'

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis. Items which contain rubies or jadeite originating in Burma (Myanmar) may not be imported into the U.S. Please be advised that a purchasers inability to import any such item into the U.S. or any other country shall not constitute grounds for non-payment or cancellation of the sale. With respect to items that contain any other types of gemstones originating in Burma (e.g., sapphires), such items may be imported into the U.S., provided that the gemstones have been mounted or incorporated into jewellery outside of Burma and provided that the setting is not of a temporary nature (e.g., a string). Please note Payments and Collections will be unavailable on Monday 12th July 2010 due to a major update to the Client Accounting IT system. For further details please call +44 (0) 20 7839 9060 or e-mail info@christies.com

Sale room notice

Please note the addition of the original white kid pumps and gloves to this lot

Brought to you by

Victoria von Westenholz

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vvonwestenholz@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2343

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Lot Essay

The Most Noble Order of the Garter (K.G.) was founded by Edward III in about 1348 and is dedicated to England's Patron Saint, St. George. The Order is limited to twenty-four companions, excluding the monarch and the Prince of Wales. It is bestowed by the Queen and is one of the few remaining Orders that is at the sole discretion of the reigning monarch. The Order's emblem is the Garter with its motto 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' which translated means 'shamed be the person who thinks evil of it'.

Male members were titled 'Knights Companion' and female members 'Ladies Companion'. In the past the Sovereign filled vacancies upon the nomination of the existing members. Each Companion would nominate nine candidates of whom three had to be above the rank of Earl, three above the rank of a Baron and three above the rank of Knight. This system ceased in 1860 and thereafter appointments were made by the sovereign acting alone.

With the installation of Emperor Alexander I of Russia in 1813 the membership was extended to foreign monarchs.

On the death of a member the badge and star that they were given are returnable to the Sovereign but recipients often had their own regalia made either because they wanted a spare set or they wanted a more extravagant badge or star that was diamond-set to demonstrate their new exalted status.

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