Features

The sale of gallantry awards held by Baldwin’s (20% buyer’s premium) on September 15 included this Edward Medal Exchange George Cross awarded for bravery at the Hedley Pit in 1930.

Harmers’ (20% buyer’s premium) third numismatic auction held on September 26 was topped by this Indian rarity, a Gold Mohur issued under the Mughal emperor Nur al-Din Muhammad Jahangir (1605-27).

A sale of Banknotes at Noonans included this One Rupee note issued by the Banco Nacional Ultramarino in Goa in 1917. The rare first issue note took £13,000 (plus 24% buyer’s premium).

An unusual visitor to UK shores last year was this gold ‘Liberty head’ quarter eagle (two and a half dollars) from 1830.

The Indian Mutiny Victoria Cross offered by Morton & Eden (20% buyer’s premium) on July 20 was awarded to Master George Bell Chicken, a civilian volunteer attached to the Indian Naval Brigade.

Of only 26 flying Victoria Crosses issued to date, four were awarded for the Malayan campaign in December 1941-February 1942.

With 39,000 of these campaign honours given out, which ones can generate extra demand and achieve higher prices?

The personal stories behind medals are becoming increasingly relevant to collectors.

Vice Admiral Davidge Gould was the last surviving member of Nelson’s Band of Brothers, dying in 1847

In its earliest days flying was frequently lethal, in and out of combat.

By the end of the First World War it has been estimated that over eight million horses had died.

Medals awarded to a gallant soldier who was gassed in the First World War were sold at auction just a few minutes’ walk from the house where he was born.

Works by Mr Brainwash (b.1966) are becoming an increasingly common sight at auction.

A group of eight Andy Warhol (1928-87) prints came to auction at Van Ham (32% buyer’s premium including VAT) in Cologne at the end of last year, including a few of his most famous subjects from documented editions of the 1960-80s.

Allen Jones (b.1937) is regarded as one of the pioneers of early British pop art.

The term ‘pop art’ normally conjures up images of colourful and ‘hip’ artworks from the 1950s-60s.

Key artists in the American pop art movement such as Roy Lichtenstein (1923-97) and Andy Warhol (1929- 87) make big ticket prices.

Among the graphic works on offer in Thomaston Place’s Winter Enchantment sale in Maine on February 24-26 are these two prints by Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol.

In August and September 2021 London gallery Whitford Fine Art held an exhibition titled Sand Casts devoted to a British pop artist prominent in the Swinging Sixties who had renewed his successful career in the Nineties.

While London gun-makers featured heavily – and lucratively – at Gavin Gardiner’s (25% buyer’s premium) auction of Modern & Vintage Sporting Guns on December 14, provincial makers also got a look in.