Witu Aug 1893 Clasp – Contemporary Tailor’s Copy

Witu Aug 1893 clasp – a contemporary tailor’s copy, period-made example of the campaign clasp awarded with the East and West Africa Medal 1887–1900 for service during operations in the Witu Sultanate on the East African coast.

This contemporary tailor’s copy faithfully reproduces the “Witu Aug 1893” clasp, one of the campaign bars awarded to recipients of the East and West Africa Medal for participation in the Witu Expedition of 1893. 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 original medals or clasps were unavailable. These period-made examples are recognised by collectors as historic artefacts, reflecting Victorian military outfitting and medal-wearing practices.

The original Witu Aug 1893 clasp was authorised for officers and men of British, Indian, naval, and locally raised colonial forces who took part in operations against the Witu Sultanate, located in the coastal region of present-day Kenya. The campaign formed part of Britain’s wider efforts to secure influence and maintain control over strategic areas of East Africa during the expansion of European colonial interests in the late nineteenth century.

The expedition followed tensions between British authorities and the Sultanate of Witu, with military operations undertaken to suppress resistance and reinforce British political influence in the region. British and Indian troops, supported by naval forces and locally recruited units, conducted operations in challenging tropical conditions, facing difficult terrain, limited communications, and determined opposition.

The Witu Aug 1893 clasp is one of the more specialised and less frequently encountered clasps from the East and West Africa Medal series. It remains highly regarded by collectors of Victorian colonial campaign medals, British Empire history, and African military operations.

Contemporary tailor’s copies were often produced by military outfitters to closely replicate officially issued clasps for wear on mounted medal groups or display. Although not Crown-issued, these Victorian-period copies are increasingly appreciated for their historical authenticity and their association with nineteenth-century military dress traditions.

This example represents an attractive period-made copy of a scarce East African campaign clasp and would make an excellent addition to a collection of British Empire campaign medals, East and West Africa Medal clasps, or Victorian military memorabilia.

Dimensions

Approx. 36mm × 16mm

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 Victorian campaign clasp.