Kingdom of Hanover Standard of the Garde du Corps
Circa 1830. Approximately 53 x 53 cm standard made of yellow (“gold”) fabric with gold metal fringe, richly embroidered on both sides with silver thread, partly in relief execution, in the center the British-Hanoverian coat of arms with the motto “nec aspera terrent” (the motto of the Guelphic Order founded in 1815), flanked by the English lion and the Scottish unicorn, above which the British crown upon which stands the crowned lion (royal crest), the lion and unicorn standing on a blue-backed scroll with the motto “Dieu et mon droit”, above the coat of arms the battle honor “Peninsula” is embroidered, as well as “Garcia” and “Hernandez”, below the coat of arms the regimental name “Garde du Corps”, below which the battle honor “Waterloo” is embroidered. On the left side of the standard from top to bottom the Order of the Garter, the Order of the Thistle, and the Guelphic Order, on the right side (the fly) the Order of the Bath, the Order of St. Patrick, and the Order of St. Michael. The fabric of the standard with tears, the edge of the left side of the standard damaged and lightly restored, loss of only approximately half a centimeter.
An object of museum significance! An irreplaceable artifact of the history of the Kingdom of Hanover!
According to information, the object originates from the Welfenschloss Marienburg, the royal Hanoverian collection, which was largely auctioned at Sotheby's in 2005.
Of Hanoverian standards, a few pieces have been preserved in museums and collections and are thus available for historical research. The history of the pieces awarded from 1821 under George IV to certain infantry regiments is well documented. In the cavalry, however, frequent restructurings and renamings complicated research.
According to current knowledge, from 1821 initially each squadron received a standard. The cavalry standards differed from the infantry standards through their significantly more elaborate workmanship as well as the carrying of a “second battle name”. Common to the standards were the execution of the coat of arms, the orders, and the size. The standards, however, cost four times those for the infantry. A price of 300 Thalers (!!) is documented, which represented a considerable sum at that time. This was so expensive that in 1837 it was determined that each regiment should carry only one standard. With the accession of King Ernest Augustus I in 1837 and the resulting end of the personal union, the standards for the infantry were then partly changed and partly newly introduced. In the cavalry, however, the very expensive standards were apparently continued unchanged for some time and later came to the royal arsenal or to the royal collection.
The present standard corresponds entirely in workmanship and dimensions to the known pieces. The coat of arms in its execution dates to the period 1816-37. It can be assumed that the standard, like other known pieces, was awarded under King George IV or William IV. The “Regiment Garde du Corps” was created in 1829 through renaming from the “Garde Cuirassier Regiment” established in 1816, which traced back to the “1st Heavy Dragoon Regiment” of the “King's German Legion”. The regiment, unlike other Hanoverian cavalry regiments, retained its designation continuously until 1866. The date of origin of the standard can be assumed to be around 1830.
If interested, we can also offer a standard finial or a finial of the original staff for the standard, which are currently still in a private collection.
An object of museum significance! An irreplaceable artifact of the history of the Kingdom of Hanover!
According to information, the object originates from the Welfenschloss Marienburg, the royal Hanoverian collection, which was largely auctioned at Sotheby's in 2005.
Of Hanoverian standards, a few pieces have been preserved in museums and collections and are thus available for historical research. The history of the pieces awarded from 1821 under George IV to certain infantry regiments is well documented. In the cavalry, however, frequent restructurings and renamings complicated research.
According to current knowledge, from 1821 initially each squadron received a standard. The cavalry standards differed from the infantry standards through their significantly more elaborate workmanship as well as the carrying of a “second battle name”. Common to the standards were the execution of the coat of arms, the orders, and the size. The standards, however, cost four times those for the infantry. A price of 300 Thalers (!!) is documented, which represented a considerable sum at that time. This was so expensive that in 1837 it was determined that each regiment should carry only one standard. With the accession of King Ernest Augustus I in 1837 and the resulting end of the personal union, the standards for the infantry were then partly changed and partly newly introduced. In the cavalry, however, the very expensive standards were apparently continued unchanged for some time and later came to the royal arsenal or to the royal collection.
The present standard corresponds entirely in workmanship and dimensions to the known pieces. The coat of arms in its execution dates to the period 1816-37. It can be assumed that the standard, like other known pieces, was awarded under King George IV or William IV. The “Regiment Garde du Corps” was created in 1829 through renaming from the “Garde Cuirassier Regiment” established in 1816, which traced back to the “1st Heavy Dragoon Regiment” of the “King's German Legion”. The regiment, unlike other Hanoverian cavalry regiments, retained its designation continuously until 1866. The date of origin of the standard can be assumed to be around 1830.
If interested, we can also offer a standard finial or a finial of the original staff for the standard, which are currently still in a private collection.
