Awards of the Indian "Princes"

[Ed_Haynes]

Bijawar

A previously unreported medal from Bijawar State (11-gun, Bundelkhand Agancy, Central India)

Maharaja Sawai Sir Sawant Singh Bahadur (b. 1877, r. June 1900-30 October 1940, d. 30 October 1940)

Some sort of Jubilee? 1925? 1930? When was he KCSI??

[Ed_Haynes]

MANDI -- Silver Jubilee Medal, 1938

For the jubilee of Raja Major Sir Jogendra Sen Bahadur (b. 1904, r. 28 April 1913-1986, d. 1986).

McClenaghan, p. 197, no. 194.

[Ed_Haynes]

Posted, in part, just to "bump" this thread.

Order of the Vikram Star, Grand Commander (Class I)

Breast star only.

McClenaghan, #80, pp. 82-86.

Established: 12 February 1944 by Lieutenant-General H.H. Sri Raj Rajeshwar Maharajadhiraj Narendra Sawai Maharaja Shiromani Sir Sadul Singhji Bahadur, Maharaja of Bikaner. From that date, the new order became the highest order of the state. The order existed in five classes. The motto of the order was ?In the Service of My People?.

Insignia: The first class had a sash, silver gilt sash badge (70 x 50 mm), and gilt and enamel breast star (60 mm). The second class was a gilt and enamel neck badge (70 x 50 mm) and gilt breast star (74 mm). The third class was a silver gilt neck badge (70 x 50 mm). The fourth and fifth classes were breast badges (70 x 50 mm), in silver gilt for fourth class and silver for the fifth class.

Badge: A floral badge of eight overlapping petals, enamelled green for the upper classes, with a bust of the State?s founded, Rao Bikaji (r. 1465-1504 C.E.) in the centre.

Ribbon: The ribbon was red (kasumbal) with a central stripe of saffron (kesaria) and two thinner stripes of saffron flanking this central stripe. The first class sash was 100 mm, the second class neck badge ribbon 39 mm, the third class neck badge and breast badge ribbons 33 mm.

Edited March 18, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Gerd Becker]

Beautiful Breaststar

[peter monahan]

Beautiful Breaststar

Lovely, lovely stuff, Ed! Keep it up, you'll never bore us! Getting harder and harder to get the drool off my keyboard, though!

Peter

[Christian L]

great breast star!

can we see a picture of the reverse (would be interesting if they "prefer" needle or srewback attachement - and how they made the reverse)

wonderfull example

christian

[Guest Rick Research]

Ed, regarding #26, the ONLY Order mentioned in the Maharajah of Bijawar's entry in the 1935 British "Who's Who?" is K.C.I.E., from 1911, (He calls himself "one of the finest shots in India.")

[Ulsterman]

ED: GREAT stuff!!

[Ed_Haynes]

Ed, regarding #26, the ONLY Order mentioned in the Maharajah of Bijawar's entry in the 1935 British "Who's Who?" is K.C.I.E., from 1911, (He calls himself "one of the finest shots in India.")

Yes, K.C.I.E. not K.C.S.I., oops.

[Ed_Haynes]

great breast star!

can we see a picture of the reverse (would be interesting if they "prefer" needle or srewback attachement - and how they made the reverse)

wonderfull example

christian

Having brought back the Order of the Vikram Star, Grand Commander star, let me re-scan the obverse and the reverse as well. It is cased and, if you wish, I can haul out the camera and snap the case while the goodie is on "home leave".

As it is heavily valuted it does not scan so well.

[Ed_Haynes]

The reverse. Usual Spink work, though neither the badge nor the case are marked (unusually so). I know Spink actively recruited the "Princes" for orders for orders and got repeatedly spanked by the government for doing that.

[Christian L]

wow - great breast star!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(if you ask like this - It is cased and, if you wish, I can haul out the camera and snap the case while the goodie is on "home leave". - than i can't say no )

thanks much and a great work of art!

christian

[Ed_Haynes]

wow - great breast star!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(if you ask like this - It is cased and, if you wish, I can haul out the camera and snap the case while the goodie is on "home leave". - than i can't say no )

thanks much and a great work of art!

christian

Your wish is my command.

Case exterior:

[Ed_Haynes]

Interior

[Ed_Haynes]

And the case of the Order of the Sadul Star of Bikaner, Grand Commander (class I) sash badge (or Grand Master??), shown above at http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2784&st=1

[Ed_Haynes]

And inside . . . .

[Ed_Haynes]

Possibly of interest, probably not:

Edward S. Haynes, ?Contested Honour: The ?Raj? versus the ?Princes,? presented to the 18th European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies, Lund, Sweden, 6-9 July 2004

Text: http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/HaynesLund.pdf

Accompanying Power Point presentation: http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/Lund%2...iles/frame.html

[Ulsterman]

Ahhh--

if only we could see the royal files burnt before August 1947?

[Ed_Haynes]

Ahhh--

if only we could see the royal files burnt before August 1947?

Perhaps, it would be nice. Gone-gone. The Brits burned much before transferring power, an episode of malicious archival clear-cutting. The next step will be to look at the records of the States themselves (though some major ones are gone -- Patiala -- and others are off-limnits -- Kashmir). Shall attempt this this summer. Any government may not keep records on much, but they'll keep records on those things they spend money on. Like gongs?

[Ed_Haynes]

BHARATPUR -- THE MOST NOBLE EMINENT BRIJENDRA ORDER OF THE BHARATPUR STATE

Established by Colonel H.H. Maharaja Shri Brajendra Sawai Sir Kishan Singh Bahadur Jung around 1925. This was the generic order of Bharatpur State. The order seems to have existed in three classes. The motto of the order was ?Parjabalam Rayyabalam Parshastay? or ?Power of the People is the Power of the King and That is Supreme?.

Insignia:

The first class had a sash, sash badge and breast star. The second class was a neck badge and the third class a breast badge. All badges seem to have been 68 x 48 mm

Badge:

The thin gilt and enamel badge was an oval (very similar to the Companion of the State of India) with Maharaja Kishan Singh?s image in the centre, an oval with the motto surrounding, and a suspending star above.

Ribbon: The ribbon was yellow with blue edge stripes. The first class sash was 98mm, the second class neck badge 50 mm, and the third class breast badge 32 mm.

Most Eminent Brijendra Order of the Bharatpur State, second class

Probable identification. The structure of this order is incredibly complicated and not well known.

McClenaghan, no. 69, pp. 72-73.

[Ed_Haynes]

Since these are here "on home leave" this weekend, a few more. Apolologies for the naked medals but the ribbons are MUCH rarer than the medals themselves.

HOLKAR (INDORE) -- Muntazim Bahadur, Class III Silver Medal of the 2nd Class

These are immansely confusing. McClenaghan (#141, p. 151) traces just 36 awards, mainly to accountants, teachers, household officers, and pensioners.

[Ed_Haynes]

DHRANGADHRA -- Rajyabishek Medal, 1942 - gold

For the coronation of Maharaja Mayurdhvaj Singh in 1942. His Highness is still alive, the last KCSI and the last of ther "Ruling Princes".

McClenaghan #113.

Edited October 14, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

BARODA -- Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal

This named on edge: "HAV. AMRITRAO MADHAVRAO MAHDIK. 1936".

McClenaghan #59, p. 64.

[Ed_Haynes]

BIKANER:Order of the Sadul Star of Bikaner, 1st class

Clearly the sash badge of "someone". Yellow and white gold set with diamonds and rubies.

[Gerd Becker]

Breathtaking