Private’s remarkable medal collection to go under hammer
HUNDREDS of medals will be going under the hammer next week in one of the most unusual auctions the region has seen in years. The entire sale has, with the exception of just a single lot, come from the remarkable collection of a lone private Brigg military history enthusiast.
He was not a former military man, nor did he ever join any of the numerous available collectors clubs or societies but he spent literally decades pursuing his interest, studying historic campaigns as far back as the early Victorian period, as well as the world wars of the 20th Century.
The early medals in the collection are amongst the most interesting. Pretty much all of the many conflicts involving the British Army in the second half of the 19th century are represented including: the Crimean War (1853-56), the Indian Mutiny (1857-59), the Second China War (aka Second Opium War) (1856-60), the Second Afghan War (1878-1880), the Anglo-Zulu War (1879), the Anglo-Egyptian War (188489) and of course the Boer War (18991902).
In addition to the campaign medals the collection has a considerable number of Victorian service awards including the Naval General Service Medal awarded to Thomas Atwell in 1848. Not only do we have the 174-year-old medal, with its Syria clasp, but we even have a fine cabinet photograph of Atwell taken at the Yee Chun Studios on Queens Road in Hong Kong.
The lot does point the way to some of the attractions of militaria collecting: At this time – and indeed until the Second World War – medals were usually inscribed with the name and rank of the recipient, sometimes with other details. That of course means that research is possible into his service career and the events in which he and his regiment or group were part. It opens up a world of challenges and possibilities. Ownership of a medal provides a physical link with history.
Thomas Atwell’s medal and photograph is expected to make £500-£800. Other Victorian medals in the auction have pre-sale estimates ranging from £100 to £400, the upper figure for Indian Mutiny and Zulu War medals.
The Brigg collector, who is not being named at the request of his family, had a particular interest in the Lincolnshire Regiment and next Wednesday’s auction will see no fewer than 35 First World War medals awarded to 25 Lincolnshire Regiment soldiers going under the hammer in eight lots. They are the standard awards including a couple of 14-15 Stars plus numerous British War Medals and Victory Medals. They are not rare and even multiple lots are expected to make a mere £60£90.
The collector had a particular interest in a legendary Lincolnshire Regiment hero, Brigadier Percy Howard Hansen, who won the Victoria Cross for the rescue of six injured men during a battle in Gallipoli. The Hansen lot includes a citation, photograph, newspaper cutting and a miniature group of thirteen dress medals including the VC, DSO and MC. Sadly they are modern replicas, so the lot will likely make £150-£250 – as opposed to the hundreds of thousands of pounds that the originals would make if they went under the hammer. (Seems unlikely. The Hansen VC is in the Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum).
In total Wednesday’s auction extends to 122 lots. The catalogue is available on the Internet (davidduggleby.com). Viewing will be taking place at the Vine Street Saleroom in Scarborough on Monday, Tuesday and on Wednesday, from 9am until the start of the auction at 1pm. It is to be webcast with online bidding through DD Live and thesaleroom.com.