Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An excessively rare breast star of the Order of the Thistle by Nathaniel Jefferys, Jeweller to the Prince of Wales, whose bankruptcy was attributed to the Prince’s unpaid accounts

The Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle, an exceptional hinged star by Nathaniel Jefferys, the centre in gold and enamels, the finely pierced and faceted silver rays each hinged and mounted on a steel spring, the reverse of the top and both lateral rays fitted with gold prongs, the reverse backplate in gold and inscribed ‘Nathl. Jefferys, Jeweller to his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales. Piccadilly’, 109x95mm, circa 1800, two of the reverse steel springs broken, otherwise an exceptional and rare Georgian star of the highest quality and in near perfect condition £8000-10000

Nathaniel Jefferys was a goldsmith and jeweller who, by 1794, had established premises at No. 71, Piccadilly, London. It would seem that by this time Jefferys was already owed a substantial amount of money by the Prince of Wales (later George IV), a situation made considerably worse after Jefferys completed an order for jewels, on the occasion of the Prince’s marriage to Princess Caroline of Brunswick in April 1795.

Sometime a Member of Parliament for the City of Coventry, Jefferys attracted strong criticism for publishing a series of pamphlets in the early 1800’s setting out his claims against the Prince which, by 1806, amounted to nearly £100,000. However, far from helping his case, he was accused of attempting to blackmail the Prince in order to extract payment. In 1809, by which time he appears to have been long forced out of business, he had published A Descriptive and Historical Account of the Isle of Man. In fact, the real author of this work was a Mr Bell of Newcastle, Jefferys merely adding his name and a lengthy preface in which he attempts to court favour with the King and to offer an ‘explanation’ of his earlier conduct towards the Prince of Wales.

‘In the earlier part of my life,’ wrote Jefferys, ‘the Prince of Wales has conferred upon me many very liberal and great favours, for which I ought ever to consider myself indebted to him; and though the result of his Royal Highness’s preference has proved most disastrous, in the ruin of my fortune, my health, and my peace of mind, it is but justice to acknowledge that such events were never in his contemplation...’

‘I had the honour, for many years, to be employed as Jeweller to the Prince of Wales, during which period a very considerable debt was contracted. At the time of his Royal Highnesses marriage there was a great competition among the jewellers for the occasion; when, in opposition to every interest that was made from various quarters, his Royal Highness favoured me by the preference. I repeat the word “favoured,” because it was meant by the Prince of Wales to do me a service, as he very generously expressed himself, in return for the inconvenience I had suffered from a long unsettled account, as well as for the unremitting and respectful attention, which his Royal Highness was so good as to acknowledge I had ever paid to the execution of his commands. The completion of this order for jewels, on so great an occasion, added very considerably to the amount of my claims; making, in the whole, a sum not very short of £100,000.’