France: Colonial Medal (Medaille Coloniale). 1st type Paris Mint 'Premier Type' medal with bi-face wreath suspension. With 3 x clapets (clasps) 'Afrique Occidentale Francaise', 'Cote D'Ivorie' & 'Madagascar'

First type 'Premier' silver medal with double sided wreath suspension

The upper two clasps are of the premier official 'clapet' type, by the Paris Mint (Monnaie de Paris). The first clasp is of the official 'agrafe' type by Paris maker 'Marie-Aubert', this with 'Albert Marie Ingenieur' (c. 1907) makers mark on centre of backstrap

Medal additionally impressed' Argent' (Silver) on the rim

Afrique Occidentale Francaise: Instituted on 4 August 1901. The clasp was awarded in respect of numerous specified qualifying expeditions and services including those in Togo, Cameroon, Sudan, Dahomey, Guinea, Mauritania through to 1940

Cote D'Ivorie (Ivory Coast): The clasp was instituted by decree dated, 24 September 1895, and awarded for qualifying service in various specified missions and operations conducted in Ivory Coast between 1893 to 1900. The clasp was made obsolete in 1910, when it was replaced by the more generic 'Afrique Occidentale Francaise' clasp

'Madagascar': The clasp was instituted on 7 June 1895, and was made retrospective to reward personnel present in numerous specified military operations (Campaigns & Punitive Expeditions) between 1829-1947 that took place on Madagascar and neighbouring islands in that period

A scarce and desirable early multi-clasp medal with 3 x clapets for West Africa and Madagascar campaign service

Condition: GVF

Code: 23127