TOPIC: Medals to Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry

I see the group to Captain Cyril Hamilton DSO failed to attract any bidders on BoB.

This is quite a special group but is it 7300 GBP special is the question? This is the quantum one expects to pay for an Isandhlwana casualty or survivor.

I always maintain that an item finds its level on the open market - this group has been for sale on Bid or Buy several times in the past couple of weeks with not so much as a nibble - perhaps it is priced too high? I offered R 100 000 through a "go between" and this was spurned with alacrity.

Time will tell

Rory

Just relisted at R99 950, still high but this vendor has the same overpriced items week after week listed, that's my opinion.
Jon

This group and other medals he has been pedaling come out of the collection of a well-known Psychiatrist in the Pietermaritzburg area. This gent has, by all accounts, been ailing for some time and must have entered into an arrangement with this vendor.

Picture courtesy of Noble Numismatics

QSA ( 8 ) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing's Nek, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (899 Pte G.C.Trenchell Th'croft's M.I.)

Together with a vintage medal case by H. T. Seale, Cape Town.

Trooper Geo. C.Tranchell confirmed on nominal roll of Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry; Enlisted 15 Jan 1900; Discharged 15 Mar 1901 at own request.

Note spelling of surname as handwritten in nominal roll is Tranchell.

Also served SAMIF. SA01 is listed on the SAMIF supplementary roll but is crossed through. He served in the SAMIF until 30 Sep 1901. SA02 from service in the ASC.

For information.

I expect that the vintage medal case described as “H. T. Seale, Cape Town” should actually read “H.F. Seale”. Henry Francis Seale was a well-known jeweller and watchmaker in Cape Town and it was his firm “Seale and Co.” who together with “Armstrong and Co.” were engaged by the Cape Colonial Medal Board in Cape Town to name and alter and correct the naming of medals. As is well known it was these two contractors who were primarily responsible for the so called “Cape Naming” as often found of Cape of Good Hope General Service medals. What is less well known is that surviving records held in the Cape Town Archives include the details of many QSA medals for which the alteration of the naming, particularly initials, and the fitment of additional bars were undertaken by them on instruction of the Cape Colonial Medal Board. Trenchell’s name is not one of those mentioned in those records.

I suspect that the Trenchell/Trenchall medal is slightly inaccurately described in the sale catalogue and that the letter “a” has been altered to “e”. I suspect also that as the TMI was a Natal Unit and local (ie in South African) medal queries were therefore the responsibility of the Natal Colonial Government and that Trenchell was advised to arrange the correction of his surname privately. Understandably he was most probably very proud of his 8-clasp medal and that Seale and Co supplied him with a tailor-made case for his medal.

Is this fair reasoning?

RobM
Cape Town