Beautiful Original Victorian Lieutenant General's Frock Dress Coat attributed to Sir Robert Grant GCB (1837-1904).
The coat is of a braided pattern worn by generals holding Staff appointments.
Very dark blue / black cloth with roll collar. Collar, fronts and shoulder-straps edged with black mohair braid. Also with a 'false' inner collar of scarlet cloth, edged with gold Russia braid.
Five loops of black heavy Russia braid each side, forming a figure-of-eight in the centre and trefoils at the ends, fastened with olivettes.
The sleeves have heavy Russia Austrian knots. With a plain back, with two olivettes (toggles) at the waist of the back.
Fabric medal ribbon of the Order of the Bath to left front. The GCB or Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath is the highest rank of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, a British order of chivalry founded in 1725 to reward exemplary service. The Order of the Bath is the fourth most senior of the British Orders of Chivalry.
Insignia of a Lieutenant-General in gold embroidery on the shoulder straps.
Quilted black silk lining.
Generally the coat is in excellent condition with no mothing at all. Otherwise the lowest front Olivette is missing and one shoulder mohair pearl button is absent.
Chest Size is approx 39 inches. Armpit to armpit measurement is 20 inches. Armpit to cuff is 20.5 inches.
Lieutenant General Sir Robert Grant GCB (1837-1904) was born in Bombay, educated at Harrow and the RMA Woolwich and commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1854.
He served in Jamaica and British Honduras, North America and Egypt where he was mentioned in dispatches of 13 June 1885 (London Gazette, 25 August 1885).
He became Inspector-General of Fortifications (1891-98). On leaving the war office (17 April 1898) Grant's work was highly commended by the secretaries of state for war and the colonies.
He was promoted to Lieutenant-General in 1897. He was given the G.C.B. on 26 June 1902, and retired from the service on 28 March 1903.
