Prince of Wales Royal Renfrew Militia Victorian Officers Shoulder Belt Plate

Prince of Wales Royal Renfrew Militia Victorian Officers Shoulder Belt Plate. A superb example of this scarce plate. A gilt seeded backing plate with burnished edging, on this a hobnailed silver 8-pointed star, on this in gilt an oval belt with a thistle spray and Victorian crown - and within the strap Nemo Me Impune Lacesset. To the centre on a seeded gilt backing in silver the Prince of Wale's Feathers. Period 1855 - 1881. Price includes delivery within the UK. Additional charges apply for international shipping

Backing Plate: Rectangular gilt plate with a "seeded" (textured) finish and burnished (polished) edges.
Star: A silver "hobnailed" eight-pointed star, which provides a brilliant reflective surface.
The Garter/Strap: Features the Scottish motto: Nemo Me Impune Lacesset ("No one provokes me with impunity").
Central Emblem: The silver Prince of Wales’ feathers, indicating the regiment's royal patronage.
Crown: The Victorian (St. Edward's) crown, consistent with the mid-to-late 19th-century timeframe.
Reverse: The dual hooks at the top and the studs at the bottom are typical for a plate intended to be worn on a cross-belt (shoulder belt) rather than a waist belt.
Construction: The multi-piece construction (silver star and central devices pinned/bolted to the gilt plate) is a hallmark of high-quality officer-grade pieces. Lower-rank versions were typically single-piece brass stampings.

These plates are highly sought after by collectors of both Scottish militaria and Prince of Wales-related insignia. Because militias were localized and often smaller than regular line infantry regiments, their specific SBPs are significantly scarcer than standard "all-army" patterns.

Brief History
The Prince of Wales Royal Regiment of Renfrew Milia was an allied militia of the Argyll and Sutherland regiment.

The 3rd and 4th Battalions of the Argyll and Sutherland Regiment were formed in 1881 from the old Militia Battalions.

The 3rd Battalion had its origins in the Fifeshire Regiment of North British Militia raised in 1797, they were subsequently named the Stirling, Dumbarton, Clackmannan and Kinross Militia in 1803 and their title was finally changed to the Highland Borderers Light Infantry in 1855 .

The 4th Battalion stems from the Royal Renfrew Militia who were embodied in 1793. A further change to the Renfrewshire Militia took place in 1803. In 1855 in recognition of their service they were granted permission to call themselves The Prince of Wales Royal Regiment of Renfrewshire Militia. Both battalions served in the Boer War and were Reserve Battalions during the 1st World War. They were subsequently disbanded.