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| Indian Colonial Silver Viceroys Shield Trophy Menu Holders (Pair) - J. Boseck & Co.
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Reference: S11425
Period: George V
Year: 1927, 1930
Silversmith: J. Boseck & Co.
Place: Calcutta
Price: $ 520.00
Weight: 189 grams
Dimensions: 7 cm height
Condition: Excellent, both stand perfectly, and both clips work well.
Description: An interesting pair of Indian Colonial silver menu holders, awarded as military trophies by the Viceroy of India. The trophies read "Viceroy's Shield", one is dated 1927 and the other 1930. The holders are in the form of a shield, with a mounted soldier in the centre, surrounded by a highly ornate design of foliage, flowers, bamboo and scrolls. The shields have an attached clip at the back, to hold a menu or nametag at a dinner table, and they stand on a secure rectangular silver base with rounded front. Please note the size and weight of these items, they are larger and heavier than most menu holders we see, the quality is excellent. Both are engraved on the rear with the recipients details, "B" Right Sergt A.H. Greatrex" (he was a Lance Corporal in 1927). Close inspection of the shields shows they are similar but not identical, which leads us to believe they were made by hand, with the silversmith copying a design (presumably the original Viceroy's Shield). Note the slight differences in the soldier, also the shape of some of the flowers. The 1927 shield has no hallmarks, the 1930 shield is clearly hallmarked "J.B.&Co, Silver". Note the unusual . after the B, we believe this to be the mark of J. Boseck & Company, which was established in Calcutta (Kolkata) in 1922, and still exists today. J. Boseck & Company are known as manufacturers and retailers of high end gold and silver products in India, in fact they supplied the watch presented to Sir Edmund Hilary after he successfully climbed Mt Everest in 1953. They started as an Anglo Indian firm, they registered a makers mark in Birmingham in 1909 (Silversmiths of Birmingham 1750-1980, Kenneth Crisp Jones, page 349), note without the . after the B. The title of Viceroy of India was used from 1858-1947, Lord Mountbatten was the last Viceroy (Governor General of India). The Viceroy between 1926 and 1931 was Edward Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax, also known as Lord Irwin. He was Foreign Secretary to Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain between 1938-1940, and supported appeasement of Adolf Hitler. As Viceroy he famously released Mahatma Ghandi and signed the Ghandi-Irwin Pact of 1931. He was also the first resident of Viceroy House, opened in 1929, and described as "the greatest palace ever built", now called Rashtrapati Bhavan, and featured in the movie "Viceroy's House". Alan Horatio Greatrex served as a Flight Officer during WW1 in the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), firstly in RFCNW (Royal Flying Corps Naval Wing) and later in RAFVR (Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve). He then continued to serve in India, when these trophies were presented. He was also involved in the Tea Plantation business, he attended meetings of tea plantation owners. Note - We have a single matching menu holder, S 11426, presented to Greatrex in 1926.
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Indian Colonial Silver Viceroys Shield Trophy Menu Holders
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Colonial Silver Viceroys Shield
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Indian Colonial Silver Viceroys Shield Trophy Menu Holders (Pair) - J. Boseck & Co.
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Viceroys Shield Trophy Menu Holders
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Silver Viceroys Shield Trophy
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J.B & Co silver makers mark
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Indian Colonial Silver Viceroys Shield
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