Victorian Silver & Enamel Sentry Box Vesta Case - 5th Royal Irish Lancers

A fine and extremely rare Victorian silver and enamel Vesta Case of Sentry Box form with hinged peaked lid, the face enamelled with a soldier from The 5th Royal Irish Lancers Regiment. Silver gilt interior.

By Sampson Mordan, London, 1886.

This is one from a series of silver and enamel Vesta Cases depicting ‘Soldiers of the Queen’ produced by Mordan around the time of Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. It was originally thought that the Sentry Box Vesta was limited to a series of perhaps 10 or 12 different examples made specifically for the Jubilee. Around 30 different Regiments have now been recorded.

The 5th Royal Irish Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It saw service for three centuries, including the First World War. It amalgamated with the 16th The Queen's Lancers to become the 16th/5th Lancers in 1922.

£4,500.00