Bhootan Clasp – Contemporary Tailor’s Copy

Bhootan clasp – contemporary tailor’s copy, period-made example of the clasp awarded with the India General Service Medal (1854) for service during the Bhutan War of 1864–1865.

This contemporary tailor’s copy faithfully reproduces the “Bhootan” clasp, one of the campaign bars awarded to recipients of the India General Service Medal (1854). Unlike modern reproductions, tailor’s copies were manufactured during or shortly after the Victorian period for wear on uniforms, display, or as privately purchased replacements when the original clasp or medal was unavailable.

The original Bhootan clasp was authorised for officers and men of the British and Indian armies who took part in the Bhutan Expedition of 1864–1865. The campaign was fought following frontier disputes between British India and the Kingdom of Bhutan, with British and Indian forces advancing through challenging mountainous terrain to capture a number of strategically important forts. The conflict concluded with the Treaty of Sinchula in 1865, under which Bhutan ceded the Bengal Duars to British India.

Campaign clasps such as Bhootan were attached to the ribbon of the India General Service Medal (1854), allowing recipients to display the specific operations in which they had served. The Bhootan clasp is one of the less frequently encountered clasps of the series and remains of considerable interest to collectors of Victorian campaign medals and British Indian Army memorabilia.

Contemporary tailor’s copies were often produced to a high standard by military outfitters, closely matching the appearance of officially issued examples. While not Crown-issued, they are increasingly appreciated for their historical authenticity and association with Victorian military dress and collecting.

This example represents an attractive period-made copy of a scarce Victorian campaign clasp and would make an excellent addition to a collection of British Empire campaign medals or nineteenth-century military insignia.

Dimensions

Approx. 36mm × 12mm

Condition

Good overall period condition, with age-related wear consistent with a contemporary tailor’s copy. Minor surface marks, light rubbing, and signs of handling or long-term storage may be present. An attractive and well-preserved example of a scarce Victorian campaign clasp.