THE COLLECTION OF BUTTONS, STUDS AND PERSONAL MEMORABILIA

Comprising: six silver Dress Buttons and a Sleeve Link bearing the badge of the Scots Guards; two gilt Buttons bearing the badge of the Coldstream Guards; three silver Collar Buttons engraved with the Royal Scottish Crest, Birmingham, 1911; a pair of silver and blue enamel Sleeve Links decorated with the fouled anchor of the Royal Navy, Simpson Benzie of Cowes, Isle of Wight, circa 1911; a brass Dress Button of the Grenadier Guards, circa 1925; a gilt metal Dress Button  bearing the insignia of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Armfields, Birmingham; a pair of gilt metal Indian Cufflinks, each bearing a representation of Vishnu and Shiva; two metal Dress Buttons with initials QH from the Quorn Hunt, one stamped on the reverse, Pitt & Co., Maddox Street, London;  a gold Dress Button, bearing an engraved capital initial E, Tiffany & Co., circa 1920; a small oval gold disk engraved with the crown of the Son of the Sovereign and the monogram WR, circa 1930;  three domed brass Dress Buttons of the Grenadier Guards, circa 1936, each bearing the cypher of Edward VIII with the monogram ER and surmounted with the King's crown above a flaming grenade, 1936; seven studs; two sample Buttons, one brass and one black vulcanite, decorated with an insignia composed of the letters C and H surmounted by two Royal Crowns, one British and one Continental, the brass button stamped Firmin & Sons, fitted case inscribed: Royal Calpe Hunt, Garrard & Co. Ltd. Goldsmiths, Jewellers & c. To The King By Special Appointment To The Crown. 24 Albemarle St.W., probably circa 1937; a metal and blue enamel presentation pendant for the Inauguration of President Richard Milhaus Nixon and Vice President Spiro Agnew, January 20th, 1969.

Cf: Sotheby's, The Jewels of the Duchess of Windsor, Geneva, Friday 3rd April 1987, Lot 145.

Cf: Sotheby's The Duke & Duchess of Windsor, New York, 11th - 19th September 1997, lots 1474 and 1476, for similar examples of buttons of the Grenadier Guards; Lot 3170 for examples of black vulcanite buttons and Lot 3180 for a collection of buttons from various hunts including the Quorn Hunt.

38 pieces including 3 boxes. Gold Tiffany & Co dress button , stamped 14KT gold. Seven studs, one stamped 18 for 18 carat gold, three plated ones stamped 'Krementz Plate', three test as gold, stud tops deficient each with a thread fitting. Scratches and indentations to several pieces consistent with age and wear. Accompanied by large fitted case containing majority of collection and smaller case for the presentation pendant for the Inauguration of President Richard Milhaus Nixon and Vice President Spiro Agnew both made by Cartier after 1987 sale at Sotheby's. Collection in overall good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Please note that colour, clarity and weight of gemstones are statements of opinion only and not statements of fact by Sotheby's. We do not guarantee, and are not responsible for any certificate from a gemological laboratory that may accompany the property. We do not guarantee that watches are in working order. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue, in particular to the Notice regarding the treatment and condition of gemstones and to the Notice regarding import of Burmese jadeite and rubies into the US.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The Royal Calpe Hunt was a hunt based in Gibraltar, which existed during the 19th and 20th Centuries; it was formed in 1812 when some fox hounds were imported to deal with the plague of foxes who were raiding the gardens and poultry sheds on the Rock.

The Quorn Hunt, usually called The Quorn, was established 1696 by Mr Thomas Boothy of Tooley Park, Leicestershire. The hunt takes its name from the village of Quorn, where the hounds were kenneled from 1753 until 1904.  It is one of the oldest fox hunting packs in England.  The Duke rode with the Quorn for the first time in 1920, as Prince of Wales. 

The dress buttons of the Grenadier Guards in this collection are important as they bear the cipher of Edward VIII.  As he was King only for a few short months these are particularly rare.  Edward VIII succeeded his father, George V as King and Emperor of the British Empire on January 20th, 1936 and he abdicated on December 10th of the same year.  There are five regiments of footguards in the Brigade of Guards, Grenadiers, Coldstreams, Scots, Irish and Welsh.  The Sovereign is automatically Colonel-in-Chief of all these regiments.  Each regiment also has a Colonel.  The Prince of Wales was Colonel of the Welsh Guards from 1919 to 1936.  For that reason it was the Welsh Guards that carried the coffins of both the Duke and Duchess of Windsor at their funerals in 1972 and 1986 respectively.