Orlando Norie (1832-1901) 1st King's Dragoon Guards c.1870 (1)

This is one of two works by Norie we are selling that depict the 1st King's Dragoon Guards.   'The Queen's Regiment of Horse was raised in 1865 and ranked as the 2nd Regiment of Horse, the Royal Regiment of Horse being the 1st. In 1714 this regiment became the King's Own Regiment of Horse and in 1746 it was converted into a regiment of dragoon guards, a new type of cavalry for the British Army, and took the rank of 1st. It retained the title of King's Dragoon Guards until 1959 when it amalgamated with the Queen's Bays (2nd Dragoon Guards) and today is known as the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards.' [1]
 
Throughout the Crimean War many of the Allies wore leather-strapped trousers or overalls. Eventually these were taken into wear by the British calvary and they are to be seen in the trooper shown in our watercolour. He also is wearing a brass helmet with a red plume and has '1' over 'DG' embroidered in yellow on the red wallet behind where he is sat. 
 
Medium: watercolour on paper, 19.8 x 16.9cm (oval), framed. Inscribed on mount 'KINGS DRAGOON GUARDS c.1870'.
 
Provenance: Private collection, Nottinghamshire.
 
References:
 
[1]  W.Y.Carman, 'Richard Simkin's Uniforms of the British Army: The Cavalry Regiments', Webb & Bower: Exeter (1982), p.32 
 
Condition report: some fading and time stains visible as shown in photographs. This is particularly obvious around the edge of the watercolour.