A pair of Grenadier infantry officer’s wing style epaulettes, early Vicrorian.

The scarce pair of wings are made of gilt chain with gilt lace border with a central gilt disc of 55mm diameter, the centre mounted with a silver or silver plated grenade. The material of the linings is very deteriorated. An illustration of an officer of the 74th Bengal Native Infantry in the 1840s appears elsewhere in this category and includes his own description of the uniform in letter to his daughter. We are not sure whether the same pattern of epaulette was also worn in the other Presidency Armies of Madras and Bombay. Very little uniform of the East India Company era survives today and even less enters the market.   apr29/1