Fine militaria at C&T

The October auction at C&T was online only but that didn’t stop the buyers piling in early on some interesting lots. The first raft up for grabs were medals, starting with Alexander Davison’s Medal for the Nile 1798. This was featured in the July 2021 issue if you want to know more about it. The fine gilded bronze grade medal came from the Jerry Withers collection and sold for £480.32 (includes Buyer’s Premium of 26.4%).

Peninsular War medals are increasingly popular, as evidenced by the sale of this

Field Officers Gold Medal for Corunna 1809, awarded to

Major William Williams of the 81st Regiment of Foot. He had a varied and fascinating career, including actions in the West Indies and Egypt. However, it was his role in the fighting retreat to Corunna that stands out and resulted in this medal. The winning bid was an eyea watering £25,280.

A fantastic set of three midVictorian naval miniatures next that thrashed their estimate of £100-£150. The group, not attributed to anyone, consisted of the Baltic medal, Arctic medal 1857 and the Naval General Service medal with a clasp for ‘Navarino’. They sold for £1,580.

A rare and interesting group to round off the medals now with a Great War set to Vera, Countess of Rosslyn. Vera Mary Bayley, was born on 24 February 1887 and became the third wife of James Francis Harry St.Clair Erskine, the 5th Earl of Rosslyn in October 1908. When war broke out in August 1914, she immediately volunteered her services and was enlisted by her sister-in-law, the Countess of Sutherland, to help with her Private Ambulance over in Belgium. By 1916 she had enrolled as VAD and served in France until April 1917. The medals consisted of the 1914 Star, British War and Victory Medals, all stamped with ‘Countess of Rosslyn’; and the Belgian Medaille De La Reine Elisabeth. The group, along with a portrait, sold for £3,033.60.

There were a number of belt buckles in the sale, one of the most attractive being an 8th (The King’s) Regiment officers waist belt clasp 1855-1881. This was a fine quality example of standard 1855 pattern, with the motto in the centre, White Horse and ‘8’, while on the outside, the words, ‘The King’s Regiment’. This sold for £530.88.

For good value there were number of badges affixed to boards. This one related to the Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s

Own Yorkshire Regiment, The Green Howards. The lot included variations of the regimental cap badge including Victorian and Edwardian types, various collar badges, tunic buttons and some unusual brass shoulder titles. The winning bid was £164.32.

On now to helmets and first of all a rare Victorian Isle of Wight Artillery Militia officer’s Home Service helmet 18781891. This was a fine example of a blue cloth helmet with gilt-metal, officer’s helmet plate in the form of Victorian crowned Royal Arms helmet plate, with laurel leaf within scroll which usually houses the regiment motto. It featured an artillery field piece standing on top of a scroll with the words ‘ISLE OF WIGHT ARTILLERY’. Came with a case and sold for £1,011.20.

Then there’s another scarce lid, this one in the form of a WWII Home Front ARP steel helmet. Painted black, it was a civil defence steel helmet with stencilled front reading ‘2 ARPO OFFICER’ and ‘L 2’ on the reverse. Helmet is complete with a 1943-dated liner system but no chinstrap. It made £214.88.

The next one proved popular, it was a 1943-dated British Paratrooper steel combat helmet. This was a fine example of the special pattern steel combat helmet as issued to the British Airborne forces during WWII and retained much of its original rough textured paint finish to the exterior. Original camouflaged net cover attached. Interior of the helmet had its 1943-dated liner system and webbing harness chinstrap. It sold for £859.52. ■

The end of October saw a host of classic weapons and armour up for grabs at Cowans. So, let’s start with a fine pair of Scottish stell flintlocks by John Campbell, made for Kenneth McKenzie, the leader of Clan McKenzie. Featuring polished steel construction with silver highlights, locks signed ‘John Campbell’ in script. These were pistols of traditional Scottish form with scroll or ram's horn butt profiles, flush-fit locks, ball shaped triggers and multistage tapered round barrels with fluted breeches and slightly flared octagonal muzzles. They sold for $30,000 (includes Buyer’s Premium of 25%).

Next, a British Victorian 12th Prince of Wale, Lancer officer’s helmet. This was a Model 1856 black, patent leather body, trimmed with gilt braid, bullion thread, ribbed red wool ‘melton’ cloth top and mercury fire-gilded gold-plated fixtures. Gilded brass triangular and rayed plate bearing in silver, the Victorian crown with Prince of Wales feathers above the Royal Arms and the sphinx over Egypt below. The scroll was inscribed ‘Dieu Et Mon

Droit’ resting on two sprays of rose, thistle, and shamrock intertwined. Below, on three gilt scrolls, the battle honours of Peninsula, Sevastopol, and Waterloo. It sold for $5,228.

Now, a US Model 1836 flintlock pistol by Water in .54 calibre,

8.5in round barrel but no serial number. Had a bright finish, walnut stock, iron furniture. This was a single shot, US marital smoothbore flintlock pistol. The lock was marked in four lines with an eagle head over ‘A.H. WATERS/ MILBURY, MASS/1844’. No markings left on barrel and the flash pan, cock, top jaw and screw and other external flintlock parts had been replaced. Still, it sold for $660.

An iconic Luger pistol up next, made by Mauser and with a holster. The chamber was dated ‘1937’ and all visible serial numbers matched. Came with a mismatched, blued aluminium base magazine with an ‘E/63’ inspection mark. The pistol was accompanied by a black, hardshell holster with a weak maker's mark on the reverse that was dated ‘1937’ with an ‘Eagle/WaA287’ inspection mark. It sold just above estimate at $1,680.

From one icon to another, and one subject to state and local ownership laws while also banned in the UK. It was a live-firing M3 grease gun with 9mm conversion kit and 30-shot box magazine. Optics included fixed peep, sight rear and a blade front sight. It had a Parkerised metal finish with chequered metal pistol grip and wire stock. It doubled its estimate to sell for an eye-watering $30,000.

Let’s finish with a Japanese Imperial Army officer’s sword with a 26.5in blade, 11in tsuka.

This was a Mino Province Seki sword. The blade had a one-piece construction and water temper. Featured a wrapped handle and rayskin with a black saya and single carry ring. Tang had one hole and was signed. Item included provenance paperwork helping it to sell for $1,178.

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