A fine Regency cavalry officer's sabre by John Prosser,… - Decorative Arts; Asian Works of Art - Leonard Joel Pty. Ltd.

Lot No.

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Description:

A fine Regency cavalry officer's sabre by John Prosser, presented to Thomas potter MacQUEEN, dated 1819, the gilt hilt with a milled grip and wolf's head pommel, cross-guard with spread eagle badges in relief, acanthus leaf langets, and dog's head terminals, and guard modelled as a spiral of oak leaves and acorns with a red and gold rope sword knot with tassel, the curved steel blade with yelman and retaining traces of bluing and gilding to some details etched to one side with MacQueen's achievement of arms in a cartouche flanked by trophies and other martial and foliate decoration extending to three-quarters of its length, the other side similarly decorated and etched with Prosser's name and an inscription 'This sword was presented to Thomas potter MacQueen Esquire, of Ridgemount house, Major Commandant, of the Bedfordshire Yeomanry cavalry, by the officers, Commissioned officers, and Privates of the said Corps as proof of regard as an officer and affectionate esteem as a man, July 3rd 1819', the gilt metal scabbard with interlaced suspension loops pierced with panels of oak leaf acorn decoration backed with black velvet between locket and chape with martial and foliate decoration in relief trimmed with rope-twist edges, the top of the original mahogany with inset bronze roundel engraved 'Lieutenant Colonel Thomas potter MacQueen Ridgemont House' and retaining Prosser's paper label to the underside of the cover, Sold with a framed reproduction print of Charles Turner's mezzotint engraving after James Ramsay's circa 1820 portrait of MacQueen in his Yeomanry uniform and wearing the present sword, length 96 cm. Provenance: Thomas Potter MacQueen, Ridgmont, Bedfordshire, presented to him in 1819, Thence by descent to Seton Marshall, Melbourne, the Estate of the late Seton Marshall. Other Notes: born at Segenhoe manor, Ridgmont, Bedfordshire, Thomas potter MacQueen (1791-1854) followed in his early adult life in England a conventional course as a country squire. From 1816 to 1830, he represented Bedfordshire constituencies in Parliament and in 1817 became an officer in the Bedfordshire Yeomanry cavalry. MacQueen was soon major-commandant of this corps and in 1820 was promoted to become its lieutenant-colonel - an event likely to be connected to the presentation of the present lot to MacQueen by the officers and men of the corps in 1819, around this time, MacQueen was also becoming increasingly interested in the further colonisation of Australia as its British colonies moved away from their original penal and military character. Inspired by official reports on the Australian colonies and his correspondence with prominent settlers in New South Wales such as his friend John Macarthur, MacQueen became convinced of the potential for development in Australia, both for its own sake and as a solution to social and economic problems affecting the poor in England, an issue that greatly concerned him, upon receiving a grant of 10,000 acres in New South Wales in 1823, MacQueen beginning giving effect to his vision. While remaining in England himself, he entrusted his overseer in New South Wales to establish his property in the hunter valley as a model enterprise - named Segenhoe, after MacQueen's birthplace - and, before long, a community around it. In 1824, MacQueen sponsored the emigration of a party of farmers, mechanics, and livestock to New South Wales - the first such free emigrant endeavour - and in following years keenly promoted various agricultural and commercial initiatives to support settlement and development in different parts of Australia. From 1834 to 1838 MacQueen lived in New South Wales himself, leading an active public life at Segenhoe and in Sydney, before returning to England and publishing works recounting his experience of Australia.

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Category:

Militaria & Weapons: Edged Weapons