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.


Benjamin Franklin sword at Christie's

Benjamin Franklin’s ceremonial sword comes to auction at Christie’s New York

31 August 2016

A sword owned by Benjamin Franklin will be offered at an upcoming Christie’s sale in New York, estimated at $200,000-300,000.

Victoria Cross General George Channer

Lord Ashcroft buys ‘unique’ Victoria Cross from 1875 colonial campaign

26 July 2016

A ‘unique’ Victoria Cross at auction usually means one thing – a bid from Lord Ashcroft. And that’s exactly how it turned out at the latest orders and decoration auction held by London saleroom Dix Noonan Webb.

New head of the militaria department at Woolley & Wallis auctioneers

New arms and militaria department launched at Woolley & Wallis

18 May 2016

Salisbury-based auctioneers Woolley & Wallis have launched a new department and welcome Ned Cowell as their head of Arms & Armour, Medals & Coins and Militaria

 John Hayward, Mark Quayle and Oliver Pepys

Three medal experts defect from Spink to DNW

13 April 2016

Three leading specialists in orders, decorations and medals are leaving Spink to join rival London firm Dix Noonan Webb.

George Cross medal group Dix Noonan Webb.

Lord Ashcroft adds George Cross to his bumper medal collection

04 March 2016

Dix Noonan Webb have achieved the second highest price for a George Cross just eight months after selling the GC awarded to the secret agent Violette Szabo for a record £260,000.

Commission suggest legal definition for ‘antique’ firearms

23 December 2015

The Law Commission, the independent body which reviews laws in England and Wales, have recommended to the government that the term ‘antique firearm’ be defined in statute for the first time.

Upcoming deadline for antique firearm consultation

14 September 2015

The Law Commission is still keen to hear from collectors and dealers about the impact a legal definition of ‘antique firearm’ may have on the trade in period weapons.

15-08-28-2205NE03A Lusitania Lockdales auction.jpg

Lusitania centenary brings Captain’s medals to auction

28 August 2015

The medal group awarded to the captain of the Lusitania on its final voyage, William Turner, is on offer at Lockdales of Ipswich, Suffolk.

15-08-25-2105NE05A Whittons Auctioneers.jpg

Honiton saleroom evacuated as disposal squad called to deal with wartime bombs

25 August 2015

A bomb disposal team were called to Whittons Auctioneers in Honiton last week to remove several potentially dangerous wartime bombs.

Make your views known on firearms law

20 August 2015

Dealers, collectors and auctioneers of antique firearms are being invited to a meeting in London to discuss proposed changes to the law governing the sale and ownership of such weapons.

Industry urged to give views on gun laws

27 July 2015

The antiques industry is being called on to take part in a consultation to reform the law governing the sale and ownership of antique firearms.

15-07-23-2202NE08A George Cross medal Violette Szabo.jpg

Lord Ashcroft buys secret agent Violette Szabό’s George Cross medal group at £260,000

23 July 2015

The George Cross medal group awarded to Second World War heroine Violette Szabό has sold for £260,000 at London auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb.

Antiques Young Guns honour their mentors

29 June 2015

The founders and sponsors of Antiques Young Guns hosted an awards ceremony at the ‘Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair’ to honour the 12 Antiques Heavy Artillery mentors who gave their time and expertise to mentor the finalists of the AYG of the Year Awards 2014.

15-04-01-2185NE04A Dix Noonan Webb.jpg

Medal group of last surviving dambuster tempts Lord Ashcroft

01 April 2015

Lord Ashcroft is best known for Victoria Crosses as a collector, but the bravery of the Dambusters inspired his latest attempts to buy gallantry awards.

15-03-03-2181NE06A Harkess CGC group.jpg

Online bidding now the norm for medals as CGC takes £130,000

03 March 2015

The online-only sale of a modern British gallantry award estimated at a hefty £100,000-120,000 was always going to be an interesting test of the market.

15-02-10-2178NE02A Woolley Wallis.jpg

Coin and medal sales double in a decade for UK

10 February 2015

Sales of coins and medals at UK auctions have doubled in value over the past decade to £44.7m.

Fl Lt Richard Dacre Trevor-Roper.jpg

More Dambusters relics on offer in Dorset

16 January 2015

Sherborne auctioneers Charterhouse have been instructed to sell the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) pair awarded to a member of 617 Squadron, more commonly known as The Dambusters.

15-01-14-2174NE05A Dambusters Dann sight.jpg

Huge interest expected for Dambuster pieces

14 January 2015

Five truly remarkable items of British wartime history are being offered for sale at J.P. Humbert Auctioneers of Towcester.

14-11-26-2168NE01A Napoleon hat.jpg

Where did you get that €1.5m hat?

26 November 2014

Arguably the most famous historic figure in French history and a princely provenance proved an irresistible combination earlier this month in France when a collection of Napoleonic memorabilia formed by the Grimaldi dynasty of Monaco went under the hammer.

14-11-11-2166NE04A Hansons Derbyshire.jpg

Remembrance of a child from the battlefield

11 November 2014

This rare battlefield First World War rose goes under the hammer at Hansons in Etwall, Derbyshire, on November 24.

Categories

News