A PAIR OF GILT-METAL 'BOX' SPURS |

late 19th century, by Maxwell, 181 Piccadilly, London, with swan-necks and loose rowels of disc-form, embossed on both sides with an eight-pointed star pattern, both impressed with maker’s name and the steel heel-inserts stamped RIGHT and LEFT, extremely fine condition

The invention of spurs of this type, designed for insertion into a ‘box’ in the heels of black leather ‘Wellington’ or ankle boots and worn with trousers or overalls, is ascribed to the bootmaker and spurrier Henry Maxwell during the 1830s. Prince George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge, is known to have worn spurs of this type while wearing the uniform of a General or Field Marshal from circa 1857.