A Mearns auctioneer who unearthed two unusual medals thought to have been made in Perth in the 1800s has appealed for information on their history.
David Smith, of Bervie Auctions, acquired the medals through a house clearance in Aberdeen.
One comes from the City of Perth Club Show and features an etching of a long-tailed bird on the reverse.
The box it was in was marked ‘A&G Cairncross Perth’ and the inscription on the medal shows that a James Hewitt presented it to a David Carstairs in 1893.
The other item is a gold-plated police decoration adorned with the words ‘Society of High Constables Perth’.
A small maker’s mark of ‘AFD’ and the letters ‘PTH’ on the rear are the only clues as to its date. Mr Smith said he had searched the internet in hope of finding some information and is now hopeful that Courier readers may be able to aid the investigation.ClearanceHe said, “They both came from a house clearance and the owners want us to sell them on a commission basis. I really haven’t been able to find out a huge amount about them.
“The club show medal must surely be some kind of bird club, but these things usually have a canary or a parrot on them and this looks like some kind of vulture.”
There are four Societies of High Constables in Scotland, with the other three in Edinburgh, Leith and Holyrood. Perth branch dates from 1830 when the constables were renamed to distinguish them from the paid police force of the burgh.
The last time a High Constable was called out on standard duty was in 1843 and since then the role of the group has been ceremonial, featuring in royal visits, freedom ceremonies and annual events.
The original Edinburgh branch of the society dates back to 1611.