Arms, Armour & Militaria

Three pistol lots came to the fore at a recent sale at Bonhams (27.5/25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) in London.

Once the humble playthings of boys the world over, airguns now attract a keen collector following.

The German Maxim machine gun was used to devastating effect on Allied troops during the First World War.

A premium-inclusive total of £1.5m was achieved at Holts’ (25/20% buyer’s premium) summer auction in Norfolk, the third consecutive sale held with no one bidding in the room because of Covid restrictions.

A Renaissance helmet sold at a London auction will be reunited with its garniture (set of armour) after being bought by Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA).

A Battle of Britain medal group sold at Gloucestershire auction house Dominic Winter will go on display at a new museum in London, it has been revealed.

The stern face, luxurious moustache and pointing finger are instantly familiar – but the message below Kitchener’s intense gaze not so.

Two impressive Battle of Britain medal groups offered a day apart at separate auctions both took six-figure sums.

Trio of family paintings depicting Jervis’ finest hour bring £90,000 result for marine specialist Charles Miller

The bicentenary of Napoléon Bonaparte's death boosts demand for relics

How letters related to wars bring a connection that history books cannot match

On May 18 Paris auction firm Tessier Sarrou is selling the first part of a collection of Japanese swords.

A Victoria Cross group awarded to a British soldier who volunteered to carry a vital message to a stranded platoon at Mericourt in October 1918, in the knowledge that five of his comrades had already been in killed in turn making earlier attempts, sold for £200,000.

Organiser Peter Binfield is hoping for fine weather and a good turnout of 100-plus dealers at the first of this year’s Vintage & Classic Arms Fairs at Kempton Park on Sunday, May 2.

“I joined up as a youngster for a bit of fun, but it didn’t turn out like that. We were young men made old before our time.”

MADAM –In the Militaria & medals section in ATG No 2485 it was inferred in an article on Capt Leefe Robinson VC that following his Zeppelin exploits he was confined to a desk for the remainder of the war as a ‘celebrity pilot’.