British, Crimea Medal, French Recipient, Named, Imperial Garde
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $325.00

Original period manufacture. British issue medal for service in the "Russian War, 1854-1856", or perhaps better known as the Crimea. It was an Allied effort to capture the port of Sebastopol, with a large contingent of French troops taking an active part in the combined effort.After the war, a reciprocal giving of medals took place, with many French soldiers being awarded the Queen's Crimea medal, and where necessary, the appropriate clasps for the battles the soldier participated in. Unlike their British Allies, the French medals were largely awarded unnamed, and with the battle clasps simply slipped over the ribbon for wear, in whichever manner that suited the owner best.'Our example is a little more interesting, in that the original owner, or his unit, placed his name on the edge. This one reads FIX. ANTOINE. 3192 G. IMP. I. GRS, indicating that he served with the Imperial Garde. The medal displays typical age and wear, and like its British Allies, is made of silver, original old silk ribbon, of a proper age for this old medal. Perhaps the French records are researchable as the British ones to determine what clasps Antoine Fix would have been eligible for.A wonderful old piece of history.