Prince Rupert, 1645, a silver-gilt medal or military reward, unsigned [by T. Rawlins (?)], h...

Prince Rupert, 1645, a silver-gilt medal or military reward, unsigned [by T. Rawlins (?)], half-length bust three-quarters left holding a baton, lace collar over armour, his long hair tied with a ribbon, and wearing a Royalist badge on a sash, rev. arms of the Prince on three shields, with lion supporters, crested helm and decorative scrolls above, between RP [Rupertus Princeps], 42 x 30mm, 19.93g (Platt II, pp.268-9, type B [B1, this item]; MI I, 323/159; MH 30). Gilding slightly worn, very fine or better, extremely rare and with a distinguished provenance £4,000-£5,000 --- Prince Rupert, Count Palatine of Rhine (1619-82), was Duke of Bavaria, later Duke of Cumberland and Earl of Holderness. He was the third son of King Frederick and Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia, grandson of James I, appointed General of the Horse in 1642, and gained for the Royalists the first victory of the war, at Worcester. He fought, often distinguishing himself, at Naseby, Marston Moor, and a number of other actions, and having occupied Bristol, surrendered the city to Fairfax in 1645. He left England following the Siege of Oxford, deprived of his commissions. His military and naval career flourished during the period of the Commonwealth and took him as far as Barbados in 1652. He returned to England after the Restoration, served in the Navy under the Duke of York, was Admiral of the White at Solebay. Finally, he was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty (1673-79). On the subject of the attribution, Sir George Hill (BM Guide, 1924), writes ‘the artist is not known with any certainty, but it is usually accepted as the work of Rawlins at his best.’