*The Impressive C.B. and Imtiyaz Gold Medal Group of Eight awarded to Sir John Elijah Blunt, H.M. Consular Service, who served as Chief Interpreter and Aide-De-Camp to Lord Lucan during the Crimean War, and later took up senior consular positions at Uskub, Adrianople, Belgrade, Salonica, and latterly at Boston between 1899 and 1902,comprising: The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Civil Division, Companion’s (C.B.) breast badge by Garrard, in 18 carat gold, bearing hallmarks for London dated 1871, with gold straight bar suspension and top bar; Jubilee 1897, in silver, unnamed as issued; Crimea, 1854-56, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (J. E. Blunt. Esqre. Interpreter.); Turkey, Ottoman Empire, Order of the Medjidie, Fifth Class breast badge in gold, silver and enamels; Turkey, Ottoman Empire, Imtiyaz Medal, in gold, 37.5mm width, reverse engraved (J. E. Blunt); Turkey, Ottoman Empire, Imtiyaz Medal, in silver, 37.5mm width, reverse engraved (J. E. Blunt); Turkish Crimea, 1855-56, British issue, unnamed as issued; Turkey, Ottoman Empire, Russo-Turkish War, 1877, El-Gazi type; Group swing-mounted upon bar, by Spink & Son, London, as worn, about very fine to good very fine (8) C.B.: London Gazette: 30 August 1878 – ‘Her Majesty’s Consul at Adrianople’. Sir John Elijah Blunt (1832-1916) was born on 14 October 1832 at Adrianople (modern Edirne), Turkey, the son of Charles Blunt, Consul General at Smyrna, and Caroline Blunt (née Vitalis), Consul at Tinos. Educated at Dr. Greigs Private School, Walthamstow, and at Kensington Grammar School, he joined H.M. Consular Service in 1850, and after holding various consular appointments in Turkey, he was appointed Consul-General for the Vilayets of Salonica, Cossova, Janina and Monastir. During the Crimean War Blunt served as Chief Interpreter to the Cavalry Division under Lord Lucan and acted as his Secretary. He was present at the battles of the Alma, Balaclava and Inkermann, but afterwards returned to more specific consular work. He married Fanny Janet Sandison during his time at Uskub (Skopje), the daughter of Donald Sandison, a businessman based in Constantinople. Lady Blunt later wrote several books, including ‘My Reminiscences’, which gives a detailed account of her life, and that of her husband. In 1862 and 1868 he received the thanks of the President of the U.S.A. for services rendered to American citizens in the province of Adrianople, and was nominated for the position of Consul for Roumelia, but he was not permitted to accept the position. He was appointed as Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1878, and served as Consul-General for Salonica between 1879 and 1899 (during which time he received the Imtiyaz medal twice, in silver in 1890, and in gold in 1898), after which he was appointed Consul (with the rank of Consul-General) for the States of Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, residing Boston, between 1899-1902. He was knighted in 1902 and retired to Malta after more than 50 years of consular service. He was latterly appointed Officer of the Royal Order of the Saviour by the King of Greece in early 1907 (as reported by newspapers in July 1907). He died at Valetta, Malta, on 19 June 1916. For awards to his son, see lot 737.
Estimate: £6000-£8000

The naming of the Crimea medal in the group is engraved in serif capitals.