Fine British Orders - the property of a Gentleman

The Most Noble Order of the Garter, K.G., a Victorian Garter, circa 1850-60, the blue silk Garter with legend embroidered in gilt wire letters, silver-gilt buckle, overall wear and tarnished gilt, otherwise very fine £2000-2500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Fine British Orders - the property of a Gentleman.

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Provenance: Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville (1815-91), nominated 6 July 1857; Sotheby, January 1977, and Glendining, December 1989.

Earl Granville represented Queen Victoria at Tsar Alexander II’s Coronation in 1856 and was created K.G. the following year. A Member of Parliament from 1836, he served as Secretary of State for the Colonies, 1868-70, and as Foreign Secretary, 1870-74 & 1880-85 in Gladstone’s first two administrations. His first period as Foreign Secretary coincided with the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, when he tried unsuccessfully to arrange an armistice.