Hover over image to zoom, click to expand.

Bullion wire embroidery on a blue black ground, comprising Guelphic crown over regimental device of the 2nd Dragoon Guards as borne on the pointed hind quarters of The Bays’ shabraque, the Guelphic crown over the Victoria Regina cypher and regimental designation 18 H flanked by the 18th Hussars motto ‘Pro Rege Pro Lege Pro Patria Conamur’ (For King, for Law, for Country We Strive) over sprays of laurel, together with two further crowned Royal cyphers from shabraque fore quarters. The whole edged with the regimentally specific 18th Hussars gold lace. Contained in a period Victorian mahogany lozenge-shaped glazed frame.

The shabraque was the costly and elaborately embroidered saddlecloth that covered a cavalry officer’s saddle including the holsters or wallets. The fore part of the shabraque which went over the wallets was decorated with the Royal cypher, while the rear ends bore the crown and regimental device with designation underneath. Dress Regulations forbade cavalry regiments from taking shabraques to India and insisted if discontinued they must not be re-introduced. The majority of regiments, however, kept using them until 1896 when they were abolished altogether. That said, the 18th Hussars discontinued the use of the shrabraque in 1889, seven years before the official decree.