St. Sebastian Clasp Face – Original for the Naval General Service Medal 1847

St. Sebastian clasp face – original replacement faceplate for the Naval General Service Medal 1847 campaign clasp.

An original “St. Sebastian” clasp face from the Naval General Service Medal 1847, representing the engraved front plate that formed part of the complete campaign clasp. This original Victorian component was manufactured for official issue and would originally have been fitted to the clasp body before being mounted on the medal ribbon.

The Naval General Service Medal 1847 was awarded retrospectively to surviving officers and men of the Royal Navy for qualifying naval actions between 1793 and 1840, with individual clasps issued to denote the specific engagement or service for which the recipient qualified. The medal was issued only with one or more clasps, with 231 clasps authorised covering a wide range of naval actions, including fleet engagements, single-ship actions, boat services, and amphibious operations.

The original St. Sebastian clasp commemorates naval service connected with the capture of St. Sebastian in 1813 during the Peninsular War. British naval forces supported the Allied operations against the French-held port, providing vital assistance through coastal operations, naval bombardment, transport duties, and support of the wider siege and capture of the fortress.

As this example consists of the clasp face only, it offers collectors the opportunity to obtain an original official component suitable for restoring an incomplete Naval General Service Medal clasp or for inclusion within a specialist collection of naval campaign medal parts. Genuine original clasp faces are considerably scarcer than complete clasps, having often been separated during repairs, alterations, or restoration work over many decades.

The St. Sebastian clasp is a highly desirable clasp among collectors of the Naval General Service Medal 1847, Napoleonic naval history, Royal Navy awards, and early nineteenth-century British campaign medals.

This example would make an excellent addition to a collection of Naval General Service Medal 1847 components, naval campaign medal restorations, or Royal Navy historical memorabilia.

Dimensions

Approx. 33mm × 4mm

Condition

Good overall original condition, with age-related wear consistent with an officially issued Victorian campaign clasp component. Light rubbing, surface marks, and minor signs of handling may be present. An attractive and scarce original clasp face suitable for restoration, display, or specialist collecting.