Arms, Armour & Militaria

Arms and armour stretches from ancient times to modern conflicts, with weapons ranging from swords and clubs to firearms, armour including helmets and shields, and militaria such as medals, uniforms, flags and ephemera.

Medals and militaria are often sold at auction as specialised categories, with arms and armour sales also held.


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Auction full of West Country wonders

18 October 2021

Including seafaring, tin, copper, studio potteries and fishing, a Penzance sale covered just about everything from the region bar pasties.

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Classic country house offering brings spectacular selection of lots

04 October 2021

Irish castle home of earls about to be turned into hotel and spa furnishes a remarkable sale

Antarctic Expedition memorial plaque

Rare piece of Polar memorabilia flies above estimate at Ipswich auction

01 October 2021

A fine lot of Polar memorabilia surfaced at Lockdales in Ipswich. It came by descent from William Lashly (1867-1940), chief stoker during the ill-fated Terra Nova expedition to Antartica in 1911-12.

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Medal group and archive breaks through walls at auction

27 September 2021

One of the most daring air operations of the Second World War included New Zealand pilot Flight Lieutenant Maxwell Nicholas Sparks as a participant.

More firearms licences required after law changes

20 September 2021

The government has reminded owners of certain old firearms that they will need to obtain a licence following a change in the law from September 22.

Arms fair moves to Hendon

20 September 2021

The London Antique Arms Fair, founded in 1967, will be running its 103rd fair at a new venue, the RAF Museum in Hendon on Sunday, October 3.

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Father and son medal group take flight in Gloucestershire sale

20 September 2021

Serving in the Glider Pilot Regiment was a tough task during the Second World War.

A hat worn by Napoleon

Hats off at Sotheby's to ‘Les Arts sous influence Napoléon’

13 September 2021

To mark the 200th anniversary of Napoleon’s death, Sotheby’s is holding an auction from September 15-22 in Paris titled Les Arts sous Influence: Napoléon.

Colt gun

Gun used to kill Billy the Kid sets auction record for any firearm

06 September 2021

The gun Pat Garrett used to kill Billy the Kid has been sold for a world auction record for any firearm at Bonhams in Los Angeles.

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Auction reveals personal side of Al Capone

30 August 2021

Nearly 200 items of Al Capone memorabilia are coming to the market for the first time after being consigned to a California auction by his granddaughters.

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Militaria from D-Day Royal Marines Commando makes 18-times estimate

30 August 2021

The best-performing entry of the Lindsay Burns (20% buyer’s premium) sale in Perth on July 20-22 against estimate was a militaria lot.

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Medal awarded to the first British soldier killed in the First World War sells at Dix Noonan Webb

23 August 2021

This otherwise humble 1914 Star acquired great historical resonance in the knowledge it was awarded to Private John Parr of the 4th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment).

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Lover and a fighter: Battle of Britain ace Peter Townsend

09 August 2021

Among the medal groups that impressed at Dix Noonan Webb's July 21 auction was one awarded to a famous recipient: RAF Group Captain Peter Townsend.

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Clock salvaged from German ship scuttled at Scapa Flow re-emerges at Sherborne auction

09 August 2021

On a single day in 1919 the Imperial German Navy achieved the impressive feat of sinking 52 vessels. Unfortunately, they were its own ships.

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Relic from an airship disaster offered at Spicers

09 August 2021

A small fragment of a significant airship comes up for auction at Spicers in Old Goole, East Yorkshire, to mark a tragic centenary.

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Signal book of naval ships brings bidders to Shrewsbury sale

09 August 2021

Illustrated with 76 hand-coloured flags, a 1794 Signal Book for the Ships of the Line sold to an online bidder for £11,000 in a Shrewsbury sale.

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Relics reveal a distinguished military family

09 August 2021

The Galloways were a distinguished Victorian military family, as a number of items sold at Bishop & Miller (22% buyer’s premium) revealed.

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Silver salver gift to ‘Johnnie’ Johnson

09 August 2021

Cheffins’ auction in Cambridge on August 26 includes a silver presentation salver given to Air Vice Marshal James Edgar ‘Johnnie’ Johnson (1915-2001), the highest-scoring Western Allied pilot against the Luftwaffe and the RAF’s officially recognised top-scoring fighter pilot of the Second World War.

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Battered copy of Encyclopedia Britannia 'damaged at Trafalgar' sells at Charles Miller

09 August 2021

An intriguing condition report that mentions ‘water and smoke damage’ gives a clue as to what happened to this battered copy of the Encyclopedia Britannia sold in a Charles Miller (24% buyer’s premium) auction.

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Medals and militaria: Victoria Cross sets army auction record

09 August 2021

A new high for a British army Victoria Cross as 'exceptional’ example also sets a house record for a medal at Dix Noonan Webb

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