Orders, Decorations and Medals

The outstanding Peninsula War group of awards to General Sir George William Paty, K.C.B., K.H., 32nd Foot and 9th Portuguese Infantry, later Colonel of the 70th Foot

(a) The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, K.C.B. (Military) Knight Commander’s neck badge, 22 carat gold and enamels, hallmarked London 1814, and breast star in silver with gold and enamel appliqué centre, the set complete with neck cravat in its R & S Garrard & Co. case of issue, the insignia practically as issued and a superb example of a Georgian badge officially refurbished for re-issue in 1861

(b) The Royal Guelphic Order, K.H. (Military) Knight’s breast badge, gold and enamels, with gold ribbon buckle

(c) Military General Service 1793-1814, 6 clasps, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive (G. W. Paty, Capt. 32nd & Major 9th Portse.) fitted with silver brooch pin

(d) Portugal, Order of Military Merit of St Bento d’Avis, Knight Commander’s set of insignia, comprising neck badge, gold and enamels, with wide green silk neck cravat, and breast star, silver, gold and enamels, the reverse of the star inscribed ‘Phillips, Goldsmith & Jeweller, 31 Cockspur Street, London’

(e) Portugal, Military Order of the Tower and Sword, Knight’s breast badge, gold and enamels, with gold ribbon buckle

(f) Portugal, Gold Cross for Four Campaigns, Portuguese type in gold with enamelled wreath, with gold ribbon buckle

(g) An exceptional group of matching miniature awards, the solid gold pin bar decorated with laurel wreath and six superb pendant miniatures, comprising Order of the Bath (Military); Royal Guelphic Order (Military); M.G.S. with six engraved clasps as above; Order of Military Merit of St Bento d’Avis; Gold Cross for Four Campaigns; and Military Order of the Tower and Sword, all but the third in gold and enamels and of exquisite workmanship, circa 1850

(h) Contemporary fitted case, all but the K.C.B. contained in a custom-made fitted case by Phillips, 31 Cockspur Street, London, circa 1850-55, the top removeable tray with provision for C.B. badge, ‘returned by order of the Herald’s Office’ upon promotion to K.C.B. in 1861, the lower level also containing spare ribbons, some manuscript notes identifying the awards, and a small portrait photograph by T. R. Williams, London, the reverse inscribed in ink ‘General Sir George Paty who won the medals’, catch defective on this case and both cases scuffed, some very minor enamel chips, otherwise a truly magnificent group of insignia in near perfect condition £15000-20000

George William Paty was born in 1788, the son of William Paty, of Bristol. He was appointed Ensign in the 32nd Foot on 28 April 1804, becoming Lieutenant in May 1805, and served with that regiment in the Expedition to Copenhagen in 1807. He was promoted to Captain in April 1808, and served afterwards in the Peninsula, latterly attached to the Portuguese army, from June 1811 to the end of that war in 1814, including the siege and capture of Badajoz, battle of Salamanca, retreat from Madrid to Burgos, battles of Vittoria, the Pyrenees and Nivelle, battles of the Nive on the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th December 1813, besides various minor affairs. Paty was promoted to Major in JUne 1814 and was placed on half pay in December 1816.

He was advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel in September 1817, and returned to full pay as Major in the 96th Foot from January 1824 until June 1825, when he was again placed on half pay. However, in June 1826, he returned to full pay as Lieutenant-Colonel of the 94th Foot and remained as such until December 1841, having been promoted to Colonel in January 1837. Paty was made a K.H. in 1832 and appointed a C.B. in July 1838. Promoted to Major-General in November 1846, he was appointed as Colonel of the 70th Foot in May 1854, a position he held until his death, and was advanced to Lieutenant-General the following month. For his services in the Peninsula and subsequently, he was granted a distinguished service reward in April 1848, and besides the silver war medal with six clasps was also a Commander of St Bento d’Avis and Knight of the Tower and Sword of Portugal. He was advanced to K.C.B. in June 1861, and received his final promotion to the rank of General in March 1862. General Sir George Paty died at 24 Regent Street, London, on 8 May 1868.