Arms, Armour & Militaria

The recipient of this George III period shamshir was once described by military historian Sir John Fortescue as “the bravest man to ever wear a red coat”.

An Irish presentation ormolu-mounted and enamelled sabre came for sale at a recent auction at Bonhams Knightsbridge (28/27/21/14.5% buyer’s premium).

The Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund was formed at a meeting of merchants and underwriters at the Lloyd’s Coffee House in London in July 1803, to reward those who had displayed significant valour in the defence of Britain. The funds came via public subscription.

A pair of pistols that were presented by Napoleon just six weeks after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo hammered at £30,000 in Thomas Del Mar’s sale of Fine Antique Arms, Armour & Militaria held at Olympia Auctions (25% buyer’s premium).

The semi-precious stones adorning the hilts and scabbards of many of the best Ottoman swords held talismanic significance.

An eight-page account of the famous football match played on Christmas Day in the First World War during an unofficial truce was a highlight of a remarkable album compiled by Voluntary Aid Detachment Nurse Maude Alice Lineham (1883-1967).

A pair of pistols that were presented by Napoleon just six weeks after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo are on offer in Thomas Del Mar’s sale of Fine Antique Arms, Armour & Militaria on December 4.

A Dickin Medal – the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross – is expected to reach £30,000-40,000 at coin and medal auction specialist Morton & Eden in London on December 4.

“The Long Range Desert Group were masters of navigation and one of Britain’s most famous special forces. They owed much of their success to the scientific talents of their first commander, Major Ralph Bagnold, whose sun-compass invention revolutionised desert travel.” (National Army Museum.)

Two examples of substantial model presentation cannon came up at different salerooms recently.

Lay’s is holding two ‘shipwreck’ auctions in a week as contents from the Charlestown Shipwreck Treasure Museum and the archive of wreck diver Richard Larn OBE come for sale in Penzance, Cornwall, on November 5-8.

Biannual medals event organised by Mayfair auction house allows standholders to exhibit free of charge

Lance Corporal James Smith of the Military Mounted Police, formerly of the Northumberland Fusiliers, survived the First World War but it was a moment of danger after the conflict that earned him a special honour.