December

The official history of Maharajah Runjeet Singh's reign records his curiosity concerning the medals worn by the English Governor Sir Henry Fane, when he arrived at the court for the marriage of his grandson Prince Nau-Nihal Singh in 1837. General Jean Francois Allard, the French general in Runjeet Singh's service, wore the Legion d'Honneur. These European decorations seem to have intrigued the Maharajah.

Discussions took place about Fane's suggestion that medals be introduced at the Sikh court and it was decided to make three fixed awards. The highest was reserved for the princes, the second for the 'relatives and brotherhood' of the Maharajah and the third rank would go to high dignitaries, colonels and those providing honourable service. The European practice of awarding service medals was also discussed at length with the British representative, Captain Claude Martine Wade, in April 1838.

This seems to have led indirectly to an order that henceforth the uniforms of all his platoons should have their own identifying mark.

Medals were given out to a range of royal and other individuals including General Allard, General Avitabile and General Court, Faqir Aziz ud-Din, Raja Hira Singh and Lehna Singh Majithia. It was also known as the ‘Star of the Prosperity of the Punjab’ instituted in 1837.

The award was said to have been owned formerly by Maharajah Duleep Singh, Runjeet Singh’s youngest sons and the last Sikh Maharajah of the Punjab, who lost his territory when the Punjab was annexed by the British in 1849.

The medal is of gold, and has a flat pendant with 10 projecting rays set with pale beryls on the front. The back has an enamelled ground of translucent green, decorated with white flowers that have opaque pale green leaves set in rock crystals. The front is set with a circular portrait of Maharajah Runjeet Singh sitting on a terrace with a white balustrade against a blue background holding a bow and is facing right.

The upper domed section hangs from a circular ring and is enamelled in white and translucent red with green.

This particular item was bought from Christie's auction, London, Lot No.25 – ‘Objects of Vertu’ on the 24 February 1981, by the V&A Museum London.