74th Highlanders. officer’s 25mm

74th Highlanders. A rather polished example of the officer’s gilt 25mm button with backmark JENNENS & Co. LONDON. The button has the design of the Assaye elephant with the Victorian crown sitting on its back like an oversized howdah. The regimental number appears below and the honour ASSAYE above.  This example has been polished at some time and seems to have lost all the original gilt finish, the rubbing with some underlying copper  bleeding through  affecting the body of the elephant and part of the crown. The shank is somewhat loose. However this is not an easy button to find. The regiment first saw action against Tippoo Sultan in 1791 and saw considerable further service in India. Of the 109 numbered line regiments just three bore elephants on their buttons in recognition of their service in India and two others bore tigers. sep15/3