Sold with an attractive portrait miniature of the recipient in uniform, attributed to Henry Bone, framed and glazed, the handwritten reverse inscriptions suggesting that it was executed at Cawnpore in April 1821.

Lieutenant-Colonel William Larkins Watson, [C.B.], was born in India in 1784 and was appointed a Cadet in 1799. Subsequently posted to 2/8th Native Infantry, he transferred to the newly-raised 22nd N.I. - via the 11th N.I. - as a Lieutenant in the course of 1804. Wounded in the second assault on Bhurtpoor on 21.1.1805, during the course of the Second Mahratta War, Watson went on to serve as a Brigade Major at Karnal between 1809-13 and witnessed further action in the Nepaul War as a Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General in the 4th (Dinapore) Division. Advanced to Deputy Assistant-General in 1818, with the official rank of Major, his final stint of active service was in the First Burma War, 1824-26, when he was present at the siege and capture of Bhurtpoor. Watson exchanged into a number of Regiments towards the end of his career, was created a C.B. in January 1827 and was advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel in the following month. He died at Harwood House, Cheltenham in April 1852, aged 67 years.