My Khedive's Star Collection

[Brian Wolfe]

For a number of years I have wanted to complete several type sets. Due to the number of these sets and the cost of adding the most expensive specimens, as is the usual case, it has been a lengthy proposition.

This is my Khedive's Star collection of which the undated specimen was just added. I may now add the miniatures (contemporary mints not reproductions) and the proper Egypt Medal for each star. Typical collector, even when the set is finally completed there is still more to add.

I will start off with a short history for those not familiar with the Egyptian War of 1882. This is from the National Archives site, http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.u...yptian_War_1882 , and I hope I have not broken any copyright laws as there were no such warnings posted.

THE EGYPTIAN WAR 1882

From Your Archives

The Suez Canel opened on 16 November 1869, thus giving ships the opportunity to sail to the Far East without having to use the longer and more expensive route via the Cape of Good Hope. It was obvious that whoever controlled Egypt controlled the canal.

Egypt was not a rich country and such were its finances that in 1875 Britian bought shares in the Suez Canal. Britian, by having financial control of the canal, had financial control of Egypt. This, in turn, gave rise to unrest between the Egyptians and Europeans, and nationalist feelings started to grow.

In February 1881, the Egyptian Army mutinied in favour of one of its colonels, Arabi Pasha and other military leaders. The Khedive, the traditional ruler of Egypt, was unable to stop Arabi's rise to power. A government was formed in 1882 with Arabi as Minister for War.

On 6 June 1882, a riot broke out in Alexandria, nationalist feelings were running high. Property was destroyed and a few Europeans, including three sailors of the Royal Navy, were killed. The British became concerned about their interests and feared that the Suez Canal was at risk.

Throughout this period of unrest the Egyptian Army had been building forts to protect the port of Alexandria. Admiral Seymour, Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet, was ordered to stop the construction of these forts. After several threats of action, the forts were finally bombarded on 11 July. Army reinforcements were sent in from all around the Mediterranean, the British Isles and even India. After a minor action at Kassassin, the Egyptian army was finally defeated at Tel-el-Kebir on 13 September.

Plese be patient as this will take a whilr to post. Not a large collect, just a slow "poster".

Regards

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

Here is a view of a typical Khedive's Star.

These were awarded in bronze to British troups by the Ruler of Egypt. The obverse show the Sphinx and the Pyramids. Around the top is inscribed EGYPT and the date. Around the bottom in Arabic is the year from the Moslem calandar. The reverse shows the Khedive's momogram. These stars were issued unnamed however specimens are found named. The medal was struck by Jenkins of Birmingham and was awarded to those who qualified for the Egyptian Medal.

The title of Kedive means "lord" or "ruler" in Persian and was conferred by the Ottoman Sultan Abd-ul-Aziz in 1867. Tewfik Pasha was Khedive of Egypt from 1979 to 1892. The title of Khedive was used from 1867 to 1914 when it was replaced by the title of Sultan.

[Brian Wolfe]

As I stated earlier, the Khedive's Star was awarded to those who qualified for the Egypt Medal. Due to the points on the Star there is often contact damage to the Egypt Medal. The pair shown here has such damage though it is hard to see from the photo. The point bottom left has left a dent in the medal.

The medal is the 1882 - 1889 issue with the date 1882 on the reverse. It was awarded to:

127 Pte. T. Coupe

1/Shropshire: LI.

[Brian Wolfe]

Now for the Stars themselves.

This is the 1882 issue awarded for the initial Egyptian Campaign.

[Brian Wolfe]

The 1884 issue awarded for service in the Eastern Sudan.

[Brian Wolfe]

The 1884-6 issue for service in the Nile and Eastern Sudan Campaigns.

With the Star is its miniature of contemporary mint. The dates are too small to show up in the photo.

The medal is a lot darker than is show here, it's a lighting/photographer thing.

[Brian Wolfe]

The last offering of today's post is the undated version for the 1888 or 1891 operations. There is one clasp for the star, "Tokar", which is found on the undated version. Yet something else to add to the collection and eventually to this post. Time and money, time and money, so little of each.

I hope you like my post and please feel free to add to it. The Tokar clasp would be nice to see. Hint, hint.

Regards

Brian

[Guest Rick Research]

I've always liked the look of these-- so easily spotted in Victorian portrait photos!

Was there no provision for bars to the dated ones, or were literally no troops entitled to 1882 AND 1884 AND... so on?

As a sidebar, it was possible, under bizarre circumstances, to get the British medal for Egypt and NOT the Khedive's Star:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=24015

[Brian Wolfe]

I've always liked the look of these-- so easily spotted in Victorian portrait photos!

Was there no provision for bars to the dated ones, or were literally no troops entitled to 1882 AND 1884 AND... so on?

As a sidebar, it was possible, under bizarre circumstances, to get the British medal for Egypt and NOT the Khedive's Star:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=24015

I have always been under the assumption that any British recipients were also awarded the Star. Perhaps those other than British were only awarded the medal? In this hobby sweeping statements and assumptions are quite often proven incorrect as there seems to be a lot of Egypt Medals on the market compaired to the availablilty of the Stars. It makes me wonder if the issue of both was not as common as I have been lead to believe.

I do not believe there were any bars other than the Tokar bar and that seems to have been only for the undated medal. I suppose that if a recipient of one of the dated stars were to have been involved in the Tokar operation a bar would have been issued for his medal as well though I've never seen one.

Regards

Brian

Edited June 20, 2009 by Brian Wolfe

[sabrigade]

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_06_2009/post-3034-1245560749.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_06_2009/post-3034-1245560405.jpg

Hi Brian,

Some very interesting comments and great items!

I have purchased a few of the Stars here in the Sudan. The "Western" approach to medals and their value and way of wearing them is not always the same in other nations. It is sometimes more common in the Sudan to see medals turned into brooches or necklaces than to be worn on or by the suspender.

I purchased an 1884-6 star in Omdurman with the Tokar clasp and also an undated version and clasp.

I also have a Queen's Sudan medal where the recipient is only entitled to the Khedive Star and clasp but not the Egypt Medal.

The photographs are not the best, I will try to have better ones taken.

Regards,

Will

[Mervyn Mitton]

Brian - a lovely collection and your research is impressive. They do not come-up for sale that often. Congratulations on a most interesting post. Mervyn

[sabrigade]

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_06_2009/post-3034-1245585083.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_06_2009/post-3034-1245585106.jpg

KHEDIVE'S 1884-6 STAR ISSUED TO A DRUMMER IN THE 3RD BN OF THE GRENADIER GUARDS SHOWING HIS REGIMENTAL NUMBER AND REGIMENTAL INITIALS

William Henry Jackson was a very lively character.

Jackson was also entitled to an Egypt Medal with clasp SUAKIN 1885. Unfortunately, I do not have this medal in my collection.

On his discharge, after 21 years of service, it was noted under the question CHARACTER ON BEING DISCHARGED - "Indifferent,owing to drunkeness and absence".

[Brian Wolfe]

Hi Will,

Very nice collection and I like the way you have displayed your specimens.

Your post has also answered the earlier question regarding the Tokar bar. It makes sence that the bar would also be found on stars other than the undated version. Thank you for posting your Khedive's Stars and the information that this has added.

Regards

Brian

[MREID]

Hi Brian;

May I echo everyone's comment on how good it is to see such a gathering of Khedive's Stars, very well done indeed, especially on acquiring the undated version. just a few gratuitous comments;

1) Interesting that all of your examples have had their original matte black finish removed. This was quite common practice amongst British troops who favoured a shiny finish, no doubt to match the polished silver Egypt medal. Egyptian troops, of course, wore the Khedive's Star in front of the Egypt Medal, which was a foreign decoration, and I have never seen a picture of an Egyptian soldier wearing a Star that has been polished. Of course, over-zealous collectors might also have broken out the Brasso during the intervening years!

2) The Tokar clasp was issued in 1892 to commemorate the capture of the hamlet of Tokar and was certainly issued to Egyptian troops who had earned an earlier, dated, Star. We mustn't forget that the Khedive's Star was, essentially, the Egyptian campaign medal and was awarded to Egyptian troops who may not have received the Queen's Egypt medal.

3) There would have been very few Egyptian soldiers who woiuld have qualified as there was a 7-year gap between 1885 and Tokar and the term of service of Egyptian soldiers was only 4 years, until 1888 when it was extended to 6 years. I suspect that most of those who added the Tokar clasp to a Star issued for the 1884-85 campaigns would have been NCO's and Officers.

4) The only units to serve in both the 1884-85 campaigns and at Tokar were the 4th Infantry Bn., two troops of Egyptian Cavalry and the Egyptian Field Batteries. Staff officers and " Odd-Men " etc. would also have qualified of course.

Whoever they were, they certainly earned these Stars! Thanks for sharing your various collections.

Cheers,

Mark

[Brian Wolfe]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for your comments they were very informative indeed.

The miniature in my photo is actually very dark, to the point of being black, in real light. While my collection has indeed been polished sometime in the distant past they are actually darker than the photos show.

I hope others will post their Khedive"s Stars as well.

Regards

Brian

[Tiger-pie]

I like the miniture, can't say I have stumbled across one as yet.

[peter monahan]

"I have always been under the assumption that any British recipients were also awarded the Star. Perhaps those other than British were only awarded the medal?... In this hobby sweeping statements and assumptions are quite often proven incorrect as there seems to be a lot of Egypt Medals on the market compaired to the availablilty of the Stars. It makes me wonder if the issue of both was not as common as I have been lead to believe."

I suspect the scarcity of the Stars in the UK is more likely the result of their having been thrown away by buyers in Africa and points East. I was once lucky enough to see a whole suitcase full of India General Service Medals, all three types and all to Indians, which had just come off a plane from Delhi. The Indian dealer had bought them in villages by weight, for the silver value. I, almost miraculously I thought, was able to get 6 to an Indian officer - VCO - of cavalry. He was entitled to 8 but this chap blandly told me that his 'pickers' threw away all the brass ones including those for WWI. Makes one want to weep or scream!

Edited November 30, 2009 by peter monahan

[sabrigade]

As stated by Peter, I have also experienced the same problem in both the Sudan and the Middle East. This problem of medals and groups is compounded in countries where there is a very strong local silver industry which is a very lucrative market. The other approach that I have encountered is that jewellers tend to convert silver medals into neck pendants or necklaces. The suspenders are sometimes removed very crudely.

SOME SILVER MEDALS PURCHASED IN THE SUDAN INDICATING THE VARIOUS CONDITIONS AND SUSPENDERS THAT CAN OR MAY BE EXPECTED

Regards,

Will

Edited December 1, 2009 by sabrigade

[Brian Wolfe]

Hi Will,

Nice display, is this from your collection?

Regards

Brian

[sabrigade]

Hi Brian,

Yes, these are recent purchases from the Sudan that I sent to South Africa.

Regards,

Will

[sabrigade]

As luck would have it, this miniature group was waiting for me when I returned to Khartoum from the field a few hours ago!

[Brian Wolfe]

What can I say Will?

Sweet!

Regards

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

What can I say Will?

Sweet!

Regards

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Everyone,

I've managed to add a named Khedive's Star 1882 to my collection and am quite happy to have done so, after many years without one.

The obverse:

As may be seen in the photo the original hanger is missing and has been replaced with one that is quite plane. It is an old replacement and looks to have been made for just such a medal. Does anyone have any knowledge of this style of hanger. Is it a replacement to make mounting easier or simply a matter of a replacement for a damaged original?

The reverse will be shown in the next photo.

Regards

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

Here is the reverse.

The medal was awarded to:

PTE. VEERA GOO, Q.O.S&M (Queen's Own Sappers and Miners)

Brian