Under the hammer
Let’s have a look at what’s gone under the hammer in auction rooms, with medals at C&T Auctions; medals, guns and militaria at Elstob & Elstob; helmets at Ratisbon’s and more medals at DNW.
Elstob & Elstob’s Fine Art and Antiques Sale featured an important, early issue Queen’s Gallantry Medal, and over 250 lots relating to the famed Gordon Highlanders regiment. Buyer’s Premium was 26.4% with a 1.8% online surcharge (not included in the figures given below).
The key item was a Queen’s Gallantry Medal to Acting Flight Sergeant William Barker Oldroyd, Royal Air Force Provost and Security Services, for action during the Cyprus emergency of 1974. It was offered with Oldroyd's RAF Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and matching miniature medals.
Oldroyd’s medal was awarded jointly with his Commanding
Officer Acting Squadron Leader RA Chasemore for their actions on 21
July 1974 when the pair dealt with a fire adjacent to a petrol store at the civilian location of Nicosia International Airport and while under enemy fire from Turkish aircraft. It sold for £12,640.
Also in the sale was a collection of militaria from the Gordon Highlanders. Amongst the highlights were a pair of steel Scottish belt pistols c. 1850, sold for £5,814.40; and a Waterloo Medal awarded to a Private in the 92nd Highlanders, sold for £3,539.20.
Other items included a double barreled percussion boxlock hammer pistol with spring bayonet. It had a scroll engraved frame, hammers and trigger guard, chequered rounded butt with conforming steel butt cap with hinged trap; in wooden box. This one sold for £632.
A nice purchase next, a 1907 Pattern SMLE bayonet, that sold for £75.84. In very good condition, the grip with cross cut decoration in the form of a saltire. Clear marks to both blade and grip.
Some ephemera now and a large quantity of postcards including those from WWI and the Gordon Highlanders. The lot went for £303.36. A final Gordon Highlanders item then, a very rare late Victorian black glengarry, with leather outer band bearing the badge of The Gordon Highlanders, with a black grouse feather hackle. It sold for £202.24.