*British, Life Guards Colours - Queen Elizabeth II, Hand-Embroidered Miniature (Bullion Work), Battle Honours Display Panel, Ceremonial Table Flag, Miniature Standard*
A finely embroidered miniature Life Guards colours, worked on rich scarlet cloth with high-quality gold wire and coloured silk thread. The central device displays the Royal Crest—the crowned rose, thistle, and shamrock—flanked by the gilt E and R cyphers of Queen Elizabeth II. The lower panel is meticulously stitched with the regiment’s authorised battle honours, spanning three centuries of service.
The flag measures approximately 22 cm × 15.6 cm (excluding fringe) and is finished with an ornate gold bullion tasselled border, consistent with regimental presentation pieces and mess-table standards used within the Household Cavalry.
Historical Note: The Life Guards, the senior regiment of the British Army and part of the Household Cavalry, trace their origins to Charles II’s bodyguard in the 1660s. Their standards and associated regimental display items traditionally feature the Royal Crest rather than the full coat of arms, symbolising their historic role as the Sovereign’s personal cavalry. The extensive battle honours embroidered on this example reflect distinguished service from Tangier 1662–80, Dettingen, Peninsula, and Waterloo, through the Crimean and Boer Wars, the Western Front in WWI, North Africa and Italy in WWII, and up to the Falklands in 1982. Pieces of this type were commonly produced as table flags, mess decorations, or regimental association souvenirs, celebrating the regiment’s long heritage.
*Condition* Bright, vibrant colours with no significant fading. Gold bullion embroidery remains crisp and lustrous. Minor age-related handling marks to the scarlet field under close inspection. Overall, a very clean and presentable example. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
