|
|
14th April We are grateful to member Peter Vanderfield for
informing us of a couple of Australian auctions. 26th March Spinks are auctioning the Umbeyla VC group to Captain Henry William Pitcher on Thursday, 24th April. Estimate:-£80,000-£100,000 13th December The VC group to Seaman George Samson sold for £210,000 28th November DNW are holding an auction of Naval Gallantry awards on 13th December. Amongst them will be the outstanding VC group to Seaman George Samson who was awarded his Cross for outstanding gallantry on 'V' Beach during the disembarkation of the "River Clyde" on 25th April 1915. The estimated price is £150,000-£180,000 1st November An original painting of Private Edward Dyer, the "Hill 60" VC by W.S.Bylityllis is being auctioned by Spink on 22nd November. This image and many others by the same artist appeared in Deeds That Thrilled The Empire. 28th September On 19th October at Royal Armouries, Leeds, auctioneers Smith & Wilde are offering the general's mameluke pattern sword presented by Prince Edward to General Sir Dighton Probyn VC in 1876. The estimated price of this exceptional sword is £9,000-£10,000. For further details, see www.smithandwilde.co.uk 25th September The VC group offered at Bonhams was withdrawn. 21st September On 25th September, Bonhams are auctioning the VC medal
group awarded to Colonel Sir Edward Thackeray of the Bengal Engineers. His
citation in The London Gazette of 29th April 1862:- 9th September William Jackson's VC group is on offer online by Burrill Lake for A$1,200,000. See www.tradingpost.com.au . William Jackson was the subject of an article that appeared in the March 2004 Journal. 1st July Smith and Wilde Ltd, a York-based auction house
specialising in militaria, is to hold an auction at the Royal Armouries,
Leeds on Friday, 19th October. Of particular VC interest will be the sale
of a Mameluke Sword and Pistol presented to General Sir Dighton
MacNaughton Probyn VC by the Prince of Wales during his visit to
India in 1875-76. 19th April The highly important Baltic Victoria Cross and miniature awarded to Commander John Bythesea sold at Spinks today for £135,000. 11th March Spink will be auctioning the VC and miniature to Admiral John Bythesea on 19th April. 29th November Bonhams & Goodman, the Sydney auction house, sold the Victoria Cross awarded to Lance Corporal Bernard Sydney Gordon for singled-handedly capturing a German machine gun post on 26/27 August 1918. At yesterday's sale, his Cross fetched the second-highest price paid for a medal in Australia with an anonymous Australian buyer paying A$478,000. 23rd November The WW1 VC to William Mariner, which was discovered in a drawer, was sold today by DNW for £120,000 29th October The Morton & Eden auction on 26th saw the hammer fall on £48,000 for the the Indian Mutiny Victoria Cross awarded to George Bell Chicken. 29th September Bonhams of Kensington are including four lots of ephemera that belonged to Teddy Veale VC in their 3rd October auction. 27th September The Victoria Cross awarded to Private William Mariner (the alias of William Wignall) of KRRC for his single-handed bombing attack on a German machine gun emplacement is to be auctioned by Spink on 23rd November. An article about this gallant act appeared in the October 2003 Journal. 23rd September The hammer fell at £180,000 at DNW for the Cosgrove VC group. Prices throughout the auction well exceeded the higher estimates. 21st September In addition to the Cosgrove VC group being auctioned at DNW tomorrow, there is also a collection of 68 items on offer relating to the Victoria Cross. 7th September On 25-26th October, Moreton and Eden are auctioning the Indian Mutiny Naval VC awarded to civilian volunteer, George Bell Chicken. 2nd September DNW will be auctioning the outstanding Gallipoli landings VC group awarded to Sergeant William Cosgrove of the Royal Munster Fusiliers. (For a full account, see March 2006 Journal). The auction, which includes some outstanding gallantry groups, will take place on 22nd September. 26th August The bronze memorial memorial plaque to Second Lieutenant Joseph Henry Collin VC of 4th Btn,King's Own Royal Regiment, was successfully bid for by the Regimental Museum at a recent auction in Carlisle. Thanks to public donations, the Museum fought off three other bidders to secure the plaque for £2500. It will now be displayed alongside Collin's VC. 24th July New World Record for VC Captain A.J.Shout's VC group sold for AUS$ 1,200,000, inc commission!. It is understood that the successful bidder is to donate this exceptional VC to the Australian War Memorial. 5th July The sale of the VC group to Alfred Shout will take place at Bonhams & Goodman on Monday 24 July at 6.00pm during a series of auction sales of Australian & International Art, Collectors Cars and Antiques over 3 days at the Double Bay rooms in Sydney. 30th June The VC group to Private Alfred Wilkinson sold for £126,000 at the DNW auction 9th June The DNW auction to be held on 29 June includes a fine
VC group to Private Alfred Wilkinson of the Manchester Regiment awarded
for outstanding gallantry at Marou on 20 Oct.1918. We have also learned that the VC to Alfred Shout is to be auctioned next month by Bonhams & Goodman, Sydney. This exceptional Gallipoli group could fetch a new world record. __________________________________________________________________________________ 28th May We have learned that the miniature VC group to Lt.Edmund Costello fetched £3200 at Gorringe's auction in April. This impressive group also included the CMG, CVO & DSO __________________________________________________________________________________ 15th May Following the controversy raised by the daughters of Charles Upham to sell his VC group, we learn that another famous VC is also about to be auctioned. This is the VC, MC group of ANZAC hero. Alfred Shout. The estimate is said to be $A800.000. __________________________________________________________________________________ 16th April The 1937 Coronation Medal awarded to Arthur Percy Sullivan VC is currently being auctioned on E-Bay (Item 662043367). An Australian recipient of the North Russia Expedition of 1919, Sullivan was tragically killed in an accident outside Wellington Barracks, London just before he was due to receive his Coronation Medal. _____________________________________________________________________________ 5th April The VC group awarded to Sgt.J.D.F.Shaul was sold for £140,000. The Commission document to Charles Lucas VC went for £1300 and the LSGC medal to the father of Valentine Bambrick fetched £950. ___________________________________________________________________________ 21st March DNW will be auctioning the Magersfontein VC group of
nine awarded to Sgt.J.D.F.Shaul of the Highland Light Infantry on
Wednesday 5th April. ____________________________________________________________________________ 14th December The letter written by John Chard VC fetched £1300 at the International Autograph Auction on 10 December. The Buckley item was not sold. _____________________________________________________________________________ 10th December The miniature medal V.C. group (11 medals) and original ribbons attributed to Sergeant E.A. "Smokey" Smith were sold Dix Noonan Webb auctioneers in London on 7th December, 2005 for £720.00. ____________________________________________________________________________ 4th December International Autographs Auctions have a couple of items of VC interest at their next sale on 10th December. A four page letter written from the Crimea by Cecil W.Buckley, the first man to receive the VC from the Queen. The other is a three page letter written by John Chard, the Rorke's Drift VC. Details can be obtained from info@autographauctions.co.uk or phone 0115 844 0244 ____________________________________________________________________________ 24th September Wallis & Wallis, the Military auctioneers at Lewes in East Sussex, are holding a Connoisseur Collector's Auction on 4th & 5th October. Amongst the outstanding items are a 9 carat gold presentation propelling pencil presented to Petty Officer Thomas Gould VC by the Parish of St James, Dover in 1942. Also, an illuminated original hand written parchment scroll signed by 65 survivors of the Charge of the Light Brigade and described as "possibly one of the most interesting collection of autographs in existence.
___________________________________________________________________________ 23rd September The VC group described below went under the hammer today for £160,000, £10,000 more that the higher end of the estimate. A VC pair of miniature dress medals attributed to Lt.Col G.D.Dowell, Royal Marine Artillery, for gallantry in the Baltic in 1855, fetched a surprisingly high £2000. ___________________________________________________________________________ 5th September Coming up at the DNW auction on 23 September is an exceptional VC group to an outstanding Victorian soldier, General Sir Dighton Probyn. On 10 October 1857, he led a squadron of the Punjab Cavalry in a charge against a group of mutineers at Agra. He also performed several acts of gallantry during the early days of the Indian Mutiny. His group consists of VC, CB, 2 bar Indian Service, 3 bar Indian Mutiny and 2 bar China Medal. Estimate £120,000-£150,000 __________________________________________________________________________ 21st July At the Spinks auction, the exceptional VC group to Sergeant Alfred Richards of 1/Lancashire Fusiliers, one of the famous 'Six Before Breakfast' VCs at Gallipoli went under the hammer for £110,00 (£126,500)
__________________________________________________________________________ 27th June Hammer prices realised for the items
below:- 13th June DNW's auction on 23rd June has a couple
of items of VC interest. _____________________________________________________________________________ 25th May At the Morton & Eden auction today, the
WW1 VC group to Private Francis Miles of the Gloucestershire Regiment went
under the hammer for £72,000, just £2000 above the lowest estimate. In the
rather overheated market for VCs, this represents something of a bargain. 20th May 2005 Spinks will be auctioning one of the famous "Six VCs Before Breakfast" in their July sale. This is the group to Sergeant Alfred Richards of the 1st Lancashire Fusiliers and awarded for gallantry during the landings on W Beach, Cape Helles, Gallipoli. ___________________________________________________________________________ 28th April Paul Noble of Noble Numismatics of Sydney advises that the VC to Private James Towers, Scottish Rifles, was auctioned on 7th April for $200,000 (approx £90,000) ___________________________________________________________________________
3rd March The VC group toTrumpet Major Robert Kells fetched £130,000 at the DNW auction. ___________________________________________________________________________ 24th February Morton & Eden 25-26th May auction will
be featuring the WW1 VC group to Private Francis George Miles, Gloucester
Regt. We included an article about his gallant exploit on 23 Oct 1918 and
his new Forest of Dean memorial in our last March Journal. __________________________________________________________________________ 11th February The next DNW auction is to be held on Wednesday, 2nd
March and will feature the sale of yet another famous VC group. This is
the Indian Mutiny VC group of seven awarded to Trumpet-Major Robert Kells
of 9th Lancers
__________________________________________________ 26th November The hammer fell on a bid for £78,000 from a private buyer. 23rd November Morton & Eden are auctioning the Victoria Cross awarded to John Pearson of the 8th Hussars for his gallantry during the charge at Gwalior in 1858.
__________________________________________________ 17th September At today's auction, the Peiwar Kotal
Victoria Cross group awarded to Major John Cook fetched £82,000, which was
just above the lower end of suggested price. The exceptional Persian War
VC group, however, exceed all expectations of around £100,000 by reaching
£150,000! DNW will be auctioning two Victoria Crosses at their
sale on 17th September. Major-General Arthur Moore, who charged a
500-strong Persian square at the Battle of Khoosh-ab on 8 Feb 1857. His
horse cleared the first line of bayonets but then fell dead. He attempted
to fight off the enemy with a broken sword and was saved by the arrival of
Lt.Malcomson. __________________________________________________ Spink Auction 22nd July 2004 The hammer fell at £115,000 for following VC group
GROUPS AND PAIRS WITH ORDERS AND
DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY OR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
__________________________________________________ RECORD PRICE PAID FOR VC GROUP
5th April. The Victoria Cross awarded to Corporal Filip Konowal, 47th British Columbia Regt is to be auctioned by Jeffrey Hoare Auctions of London, Ontario on 31 May. There are, however, moves to prevent this as the Cross "disappeared" from the Canadian War Museum. Also, the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties wish to prevent the medal ending up in a private collection. Konowal performed his VC exploit during the battle for Hill 70 between 22/24 August 1917. In 1919, he was convicted of stabbing to death an assailant during a fight outside a bootlegging operation. The court accepted his defence that he suffered pressure on the brain as a result of wounds received during the war. He spent seven years in a mental institution. On release, he managed to rebuild his life and, on the personal intervention of the Canadian Prime Minister, Mackenzie King, served as the custodian of his office until his death.
3rd April. DNW Auction. Lot 1400 was Unsold. Lot 1401 sold £260 __________________________________________________ DNW, London 2nd April 2004 Lot 1400
A RARE COLLECTION OF AUTOGRAPHS OF V.C.
WINNERS AND MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY: a fine quality leather bound
album, 18.5cm. by 14.5cm., 50pp., the opening 8pp. containing the
autographs of approximately 50 V.C. recipients (see below), several
"Royals" ([Queen] Alexandra, Albert [afterwards G.VI.R.], Arthur, Edward
[afterwards Edward V111 and Duke of Windsor], Elizabeth [afterwards
E.11.R.], [Princess] Loulse and [Queen] Mary), and other famous
personalities, including Field Marshal Plumer, etc., The following V.C. autographs have been
identified, the vast majority of them appertaining to winners from the
Great War: Note: Harry Hampton was the first of the above listed V.C. recipients to die, falling victim to a railway accident in November 1922, aged 51 years. It is highly probable, therefore, that the above described autograph album was completed at the special "Buckingham Palace Garden Party for V.C. Winners" held on 26 June 1920, a contention supported by the additional "Royal" autographs - that for 'Elizabeth' must have been added at a later date, possibly around the time of the Second World War. Lot 1401 VICTORIA CROSS AND CRIMEAN WAR EPHEMERA, Official Programme, illustrated card and ticket to the first Victoria Cross distribution, 26 June 1857; Permit to pass in carriage, on horse back or on foot, Cobham Camp 1853, bearing wax seal; Tickets (3) for the distribution of Crimea Medals by the Queen at Horse Guards, 18 May 1855, one bearing wax seal, two 'used' with torn corners, all stuck on card. Spinks, London 30th April 2004 For sale: John Devonport Collection 1/ The Rifle Brigade sword (with two scabbards) belonging to Captain
(later General Sir) Walter Norris Congreve VC. Worn by Captain Congreve in
1899 when he won his VC at Colenso. Congreve
was destined to become one of the most brilliant corps commanders of the
Great War. In 1911 Congreve was given command of the 18th Infantry
Brigade. Also in that year his eldest son William (Billy) La Touche
Congreve was gazetted to the Rifle Brigade. Billy was given his father’s
sword on joining the regiment as the General now used a general officer’s
sword. Billy wore his father’s sword with pride until his untimely death
at the hands of a sniper in 1916. Billy was rewarded with a posthumously
VC. Only on three occasions did a father and son win the VC: 2/ An attractive photograph with the words, written in Walter Congreve’s
hand,: ‘School of Musketry, Hythe. 2nd Division. June 1889’. He also lists
all the soldiers on the photograph, including himself. A 2nd King’s Own Staffordshire Militia embroidered coatee badge from
the Congreve collection. Walter Congreve’s father served in this militia
during the 1850’s and Walter himself served in the militia for six years
before joining the Rifle Brigade. The badge would have been worn by one of
them. Also a letter from the regiment discussing the badge A small attractive painting (signed C.S.H. 1831) of Captain William
Walter Congreve (W.N. Congreve’s grandfather) in the uniform of the 3rd
Light Dragoon Guards. Also in the frame is a painted engraving by Harry
Martins (1849) of a 3rd Light Dragoon officer, and an early photograph of
William Walter Congreve. Letter written in 1977 from Wing
Commander Johnny Johnson (top-scoring RAF fighter pilot) sending his
RAF wings that he wore during World War Two. Lot 290 Letter dated 1977 from Captain Dick Annand VC including his six Durham
Light Infantry buttons. Annand was the first Army VC of the Second World
War. Also a signed photograph. Lot 291 The official signed admission badge to the 1929 House of Lords Dinner belonging to Corporal William Coltman VC. Coltman was the highest decorated ordinary soldier in the history of the British Army. Lot 292 Letter dated 1977 from Colonel D.J. Dean VC including a colonel shoulder strap from his military overcoat. Lot 293 Letter dated 1977 from Admiral A.C.C. Miers VC. Known as the greatest of all submarine commanders. He commanded H.M.S. Torbay. It is interesting to note that Miers took Keyes on his mission to Rommel’s HQ. The lot includes the Captain straps worn by Miers and a photograph of him wearing them. Lot 294 Letter written in 1979 and a signed photograph of Odette Hallowes GC.
The letter contains a cotton reel given to her by a woman prisoner at
Karlsruhe Prison. She says it seems so extraordinary to think of the
importance it had for her at the time. Lot 295 Letter dated 1977 from Major F.A. Tilston VC including his regimental Rob Roy tie and a signed photograph of him wearing it. Lot 296 Letter dated 1978 from General Sir Neil Ritchie with a presentation
key to the Eight (Army) Club in Edinburgh. Lot 297 Letter from C.S.M. Peter Wright VC with his Coldstream Guards button. Lot 298 Letter from Commander R.E.D. Ryder VC with a drawing he made of his
destroyer from the St Nazaire Raid, plus a signed photograph. Lot 299 Letter dated 1977 from Brigadier Lorne Campbell VC including collar badge of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlands and a sign photograph. Lot 300 Letter dated 1982 from the widow of Sergeant Ian McKay VC. Including the Para Lanyard he wore for two years at the Para Depot. He was wearing it until about six weeks before he sailed for the Falklands. Lot 301 Letter from the family of Brigadier John Alexander Sinton VC with his puttee, Indian Medical Service button and his pip. Lot 302 Letter dated 1977 from General G.R. Pearkes VC with his medal ribbons and signed photograph. Lot 303 Letter dated 1986 from Subadar Ganja Lama VC including a signed photograph and his miniature Khukri tie pin. Lot 304 The tunic worn by Lieutenant-Colonel H.M. Ervine-Andrews VC. The tunic
has his name tag inside and his full set of medal ribbons, lanyard,
insignia and buttons. With signed photographs and paperwork. Captain
Ervine-Andrews, East Lancs Regt. was the only person to win the VC at
Dunkirk. For over ten hours, under intense artillery, mortar and
machine-gun fire, and in the face of vastly superior enemy force, his
company held their position. Lot 305 Letter dated 1977 from General H.R.B.Foote VC enclosing his General's beret that he wore when commanding 11th Armoured Division in Germany. Also his tank & General's buttons. Lot 306 Letter dated 1977 from Colonel Pat Porteous who won the VC at Dieppe. Also his 1945 Airborne beret and cap badge. Lot 307 The Royal Scots Greys full dress hat and cap badge worn by Lieutenant-Colonel Geoffrey Charles Tasker Keyes VC, son of Lord Keyes. He was the youngest Colonel in the British Army and he was killed leading the famous Rommel Raid. He was shot and died in Rommel’s H.Q. It was given by his brother-in-law Major J.R. Johnson on a visit to meet Geoffrey’s sister the Hon. Elizabeth Keyes. She has written a note confirming this. The hat has Keyes name and initials inside it. It comes with Elizabeth’s book about Geoffrey and the Rommel Raid. In the book it states: “When it came to getting his kit ready before joining the Scots Greys, he (Geoffrey) found that his uncle Dicky Bowlby’s full-dress uniform had scarcely been won. It was of better quality than contempory materials, and needed almost no alteration. Uncle Dicky had been killed in 1916; and his cap badge now became one of Geoffrey’s most treasured possessions.” Lot 308 |
This site is hosted By Easyspace, please click on the banner below for further details
