A Nursing Sister’s cape closure with a lion’s head signifies power, strength, bravery and leadership.
History: Brass Lion’s Head Badge Cloak Clasp.
Shown is a Victorian Lion’s Head Cloak Clasp with adjustable chain fastening. It fastens with a hook and chain, allowing it to be adjusted for comfort. It has eyelets on the reverse for it to be sewn onto material. These clasps were at least in use from the 1850s to the 1950s.
The chain was made of a soft metal alloy.
Admittance to the Order of the Lion is reserved on for the most courageous and noble of warriors. Their presence alone strikes fear into the hearts of lesser men. They exhibit a ferocity in battle that knows no parallel, matched only by their sense of honour and loyalty to their monarch. Throughout history, cloak clasps have denoted the wealth and status of their wearers.