4th Punjab Irregular Cavalry, officer’s gilt ball button, 16mm

A very fine and scarce example of an officer’s gilt 16mm ball button of the 4th Punjab Irregular Cavalry with the backmark JENNENS & Co. The button retains the full original gilt finish and has the longer than usual shank associated with buttons from dress uniforms of the cavalry. It carries the design in relief of the regimental initials PIC in script above the numeral IV. The 4th [of 5 P.I.C. regiments] was raised in May 1849 and during the Mutiny period the regiment had just four European officers including the commandant and surgeon. One of our illustrations shows the composition of the regiment in the Bengal Army List of 1859, including the full strength of the Indian ranks which shows 500 sowars. Dec1/3