Riding whip, 1854

This whip was reputedly acquired by a British soldier during the Crimean War (1854-1856) and may be of Turkish workmanship. The wooden handle is plaited with silver wire with green lozenge-shaped beads at the intersections. The butt is bound with scarlet velvet and has an ornately knotted suspension strap. The top is bound similarly and joins with a flexible strip adorned with gold wire and beads ending in a fringed red leather backed velvet triangular flap. The latter feature is embroidered in silver.