St. James's Auctions
Auction 74 12-13 Apr 2023
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Scotland, uniface pewter beggar's badge of a 'King's Bedesman' or 'Blue Gown', 1794, crowned thistle dividing GIII – R, and 1794 – 57, named around top, EDIE OCHILTREE and below PASS & REPASS, 92mm., double-pierced left and right for attachment, very fine and a rare and wonderful curiosity
The character Eddie Ochiltree in Sir Walter Scott's novel 'The Antiquary' (1816) was a Blue Gown and therefore, whilst he would have been authorised to beg anywhere in Scotland, however as a 'King's Bedesman' he was obliged to pray for the soul of the monarch. A similar badge, but V – R and dated 1847 and named to a William Bain, is held in the National Museums of Scotland. The style, engraving and lettering on both is remarkably similar, given their supposed 53 year difference in date. Eddie Ochiltree is found as one of the Character Statues on the upper tier of the North East buttress of the Scott Monument, by George A. Lawson and where his long coat has a 'beggars' badge' on his right arm. The last real Blue Gown is thought to have died in 1863.
Estimate: 100 - 200 GBP
The character Eddie Ochiltree in Sir Walter Scott's novel 'The Antiquary' (1816) was a Blue Gown and therefore, whilst he would have been authorised to beg anywhere in Scotland, however as a 'King's Bedesman' he was obliged to pray for the soul of the monarch. A similar badge, but V – R and dated 1847 and named to a William Bain, is held in the National Museums of Scotland. The style, engraving and lettering on both is remarkably similar, given their supposed 53 year difference in date. Eddie Ochiltree is found as one of the Character Statues on the upper tier of the North East buttress of the Scott Monument, by George A. Lawson and where his long coat has a 'beggars' badge' on his right arm. The last real Blue Gown is thought to have died in 1863.
Estimate: 100 - 200 GBP