Wooden staff with nickel silver head, topped with a crown and lion heraldic ornament. The staff itself is decorated with nickel silver chain.
The mace is an important part of the regalia associated with military bands. When regimental bands parade they are usually led by a drum major, who signals with the mace to direct the marching. The manufacture of musical instruments led Boosey & Hawkes to develop strong trade relationships with military bands both in Britain and abroad. This led the company to branch out from instrument manufacture and produce a number of parade items for the military market. The company's catalogues from the 1960s and 1970s list drum major gloves, bugle chords, belts and even imitation leopard skin drummer's aprons (complete with head, legs and tail) amongst their military equipment.
