Enrica Medugno
Sale Coordinator
Lot 131A
A silver-gilt Seringapatam medal belonging to Peter Cherry (1773-1823), Paymaster to the Nizam of Hyderabad's detachment England, circa 1801-02
12 November 2024, 11:00 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £23,040 inc. premium
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Oliver White
Head of Department
A silver-gilt Seringapatam medal belonging to Peter Cherry (1773-1823), Paymaster to the Nizam of Hyderabad's detachment
England, circa 1801-02
England, circa 1801-02
circular, depicting the British lion overcoming the Tiger, above a standard inscribed in Arabic asadullah al-ghalib ('The Lion of God is Triumphant'), inscribed below IV MAY MDCCXCIX, reverse depicting a view of the fortress of Seringapatam with troops massing outside, Persian inscription at bottom, in contemporary glass frame with gold band to edge inscribed 'Peter Cherry, Paymaster to the Nizam's detachment, 4th May 1799.', hinged gold suspension loop, a hitherto unrecorded striking
the medal 48 mm diam.; the frame 50 mm. diam.; 70.44 g.
the medal 48 mm diam.; the frame 50 mm. diam.; 70.44 g.
Footnotes
Provenance
Peter Cherry (1773-1823) and thence by descent until sold by the family in August 2023.
Peter Cherry joined the Madras Civil Service at the age of 16 and held various appointments in the Revenue Department before being attached as Paymaster to the force sent to Hyderabad with the purpose of securing the dismissal of the French officers who were in command of the Nizam's army at that time. After success in Hyderabad, Cherry accompanied the expedition sent to subdue Tipu Sultan in Mysore, and was present at the Siege of Seringapatam in the capacity of Paymaster. He was awarded the Seringapatam medal and rewarded with an appointment as Collector of the 3rd Division of the Vizagapatam district. He returned to England in 1807 but returned to India in 1811 after the breakdown of his marriage and remained there until his death in a carriage accident whilst on leave at the Cape of Good Hope in 1823.
The medal is accompanied by a fragmentary typed note by Peter Lacey Cherry (1848-1908), a descendant of Peter Cherry's, who was the British Vice-Consul in Astoria, Oregon.