Material: Gilt brass, two-piece construction
Diameter: 17 mm
Description: The 17mm gilded brass button displays the prestigious insignia of the Royal Highland Yacht Club, which was originally established at Oban in 1881. The sharply embossed design centers on a traditional vertical fouled naval anchor wrapped in a thick rope strand, a universal maritime motif for commissioned yachting services. Hovering directly over the anchor stock is a sharp Tudor Crown (King's Crown), reflecting the club's royal designation granted by Queen Victoria and its coveted Admiralty Warrant enabling members to fly the undefaced blue ensign on their vessels. A stylized decorative garter ribbon weaves completely around the central anchor shield, cleanly stamped on the left with R. H. and on the right with Y. C. to denote the club name.
Reverse: Worn backmark traces remain; shank removed.
Circa: 1902-1952
Notes:
Originally established in 1881 under the driving leadership of the Earl of Breadalbane and a circle of passionate west-coast gentlemen, the club was headquartered in the picturesque port town of Oban, Argyll. That very same year, Queen Victoria officially recognized the organization's regional significance by granting it a coveted Royal Warrant, formalizing its name as the Royal Highland Yacht Club (RHYC). Following this royal favor, the British Admiralty bestowed an exceptionally rare maritime privilege upon the club: the right for its members to fly the undefaced Blue Ensign of His Majesty's fleet on their vessels. This warrant elevated the RHYC to the absolute highest tiers of British yachting aristocracy, placing it on par with the legendary Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes.
The club quickly grew into a vital social and sporting hub for the Scottish nobility and wealthy industrial barons during the late Victorian and Edwardian eras. Its annual regattas in Oban became legendary, filling the local waters with magnificent, towering J-class cutters, massive steam yachts, and traditional cruising vessels. Members routinely navigated some of the most treacherous, tide-rippled waters in Western Europe, forging a fierce reputation for superb seamanship and offshore cruising prowess. Unlike many rigid, clubhouse-bound institutions, the RHYC traditionally operated as a "floating club," emphasizing active life at sea over formal land-based facilities. Today, the club proudly maintains its historic traditions, still organizing premier racing series and cruising musters that draw sailors from across the globe to the ruggedly beautiful waters of western Scotland.