British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97, reverse Matabeleland 1893, 2 clasps, Rhodesia 1896, Mashonaland 1897 (Major G. H-Browne, Sby. Horse) good very fine £100-150

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals Formed by The Late John Cooper.

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Major George Hamilton-Browne was a noted soldier of fortune of the Victorian era. Frequently known as ‘Maori Browne’ after his adventures in the Maori wars, he served in America during the Sioux wars, throughout the Zulu wars, the campaign in Bechuanaland, and the Matabele rebellion. Not being a member of the Queen’s regular forces, he was not entitled to any of the official campaign medals for his service with the exception of the British South Africa Company’s Medal with two clasps, which was effectively a privately issued medal. He, however, wore a group of four medals (New Zealand, South Africa 1877-9, Bechuanaland, and the B.S.A. Company medal) and is shown wearing them in the frontispiece portrait photograph of one of the three books that he wrote of his adventures, all published at the turn of the 20th century (With the Lost Legion in New Zealand, etc.). This group of four medals was for many years in the collection of the late W. P. Dawson and is still held in a private collection. The medal offered here must therefore be regarded as a curiosity.