Fatshan 1857 Clasp Face – Contemporary Tailor’s Copy

Fatshan 1857 clasp face – contemporary tailor’s copy, period-made replacement face plate for the China Medal 1857–1860 campaign clasp.

This contemporary tailor’s copy faithfully reproduces the front face of the “Fatshan 1857” clasp issued with the China Medal 1857–1860. Unlike modern reproductions, these period-made tailor’s copies were manufactured during or shortly after the Victorian period by military outfitters for wear on uniforms, replacement of damaged clasps, or completion of privately mounted medal groups. Today, they are recognised as historic artefacts in their own right, reflecting nineteenth-century military tailoring and medal mounting practices.

The original Fatshan 1857 clasp was awarded to officers and men of the British Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Marines who participated in operations at Fatshan (Foshan) during the Second Opium War. The action took place on 1 June 1857, when British naval forces attacked a large concentration of Chinese war junks assembled near the important commercial town of Fatshan in Guangdong Province.

The engagement was fought almost entirely on the waterways surrounding the city, with British gunboats and naval brigades destroying numerous Chinese vessels and fortifications. The victory helped secure British control of the Pearl River and formed part of the wider operations leading to the capture of Canton later that year. The Fatshan 1857 clasp commemorates one of the principal naval actions of the campaign and remains an important award associated with Britain’s operations in China during the Victorian period.

As this example is the clasp face only, it represents the engraved front plate that would originally have been fitted to the clasp body. Original clasp faces are considerably scarcer than complete clasps, having often been separated during repairs, alterations, or restoration work over many decades. They are particularly sought after by collectors undertaking sympathetic restoration of original campaign medals or assembling specialist collections of Victorian medal components.

The Fatshan 1857 clasp is one of the more desirable clasps issued with the China Medal 1857–1860, appealing to collectors of Victorian campaign medals, British naval history, and nineteenth-century imperial campaigns. Contemporary tailor’s copy clasp faces provide an excellent insight into period military outfitting and are increasingly appreciated for their historical authenticity.

This example would make an excellent addition to a collection of China Medal components, British campaign medal restorations, or Victorian military memorabilia.

Dimensions

Approx. 38mm × 14mm

Condition

Good overall period condition, with age-related wear consistent with a contemporary tailor’s copy. Light rubbing, surface marks, and signs of previous fitting may be present. An attractive and increasingly scarce period-made clasp face suitable for restoration, display, or specialist collecting.