A GEM-SET AND ENAMELLED GOLD ORDER OF MERIT PRESENTED BY MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH TO SIR CLAUDE MARTINE WADE, LAHORE, NORTH INDIA, DATED VS 189(4)/1838 AD

A GEM-SET AND ENAMELLED GOLD ORDER OF MERIT PRESENTED BY MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH TO SIR CLAUDE MARTINE WADE
LAHORE, NORTH INDIA, DATED VS 189(4)/1838 AD
In the form of a radiating star, set with diamonds and green stones with a central seated portrait of a figure, probably Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the portrait in opaque pigments heightened with gold on ivory or paper, verso enamelled in floral designs surrounding a central inscription in gold nasta'liq on green ground, with an enamelled upper domed section and circular ring, and a cream and red ribbon
3 3/8in. (8.5cm.) high; 2in. (5cm.) wide

This group of medals and swords come from the collection of Colonel Sir Claude Martine Wade (3 April 1794-21 October 1861). Born in Bengal, Sir Claude was the son of a Lieutenant Colonel. In 1809 he followed his father into the army of the East India Company and in 1823, as a Captain, he was appointed Diplomatic Agent in Ludhiana where he served as the chief link between the British Viceroy and Maharaja Ranjit Singh, with whom he struck up a warm relationship.

Sir Claude played a major part in the restoration of Shah Shuja to the throne of Afghanistan and in 1839, whilst the main British/Sikh Army of the Indus advanced on Kabul via the Bolan Pass and Kandahar, Sir Claude was entrusted with the command of a secondary force, largely composed of Sikhs, which was to take Shah Shuja’s son and heir, Shahzadeh Timur with it and advance by way of the Khyber Pass which was hotly defended by local tribes. He succeeded and for this was promoted, Knighted and awarded Companionship of the Order of the Bath.

Both Ranjit Singh and Shah Shuja instituted orders and decorations with which to reward Europeans who had assisted them. Sir Claude was given presentation swords by both while Maharaja Ranjit Singh awarded him the Auspicious Star of the Punjab (lot 86). Shah Shuja’s gift was the Durrani Empire’s Order of Merit First Class (lot 87) of which only seven examples are known to exist. Amongst the other recipients of this Order were Lord Auckland, the Viceroy, and Sir William Macnachten.

Sir Claude later fell out of favour with the Sikhs and was posted instead as Resident at Indore. He thus missed the disastrous retreat from Kabul in which the entire British Army was massacred. Amongst those who perished was his great friend Captain Thomas Nicholl of the Bengal Horse Artillery. A widower, he had begged Sir Claude to look after his children should anything happen to him. Sir Claude did so by marrying Captain Nicholl’s youngest daughter Jane. These medals and swords were then passed down through their family and are sold by his descendants today.