Arms, Armour & Militaria
Arms and armour stretches from ancient times to modern conflicts, with weapons ranging from swords and clubs to firearms, armour including helmets and shields, and militaria such as medals, uniforms, flags and ephemera.
Medals and militaria are often sold at auction as specialised categories, with arms and armour sales also held.
![img_13-4.jpg](/media/82958/img_13-4.jpg?rxy=0.56787762906309747,0.17804551539491298&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133050331600000000)
Life lost when saving others
15 August 2022Unique medal combinations will always catch a collector’s eye, particularly when accompanied by a highly emotive backstory.
![img_13-5.jpg](/media/82959/img_13-5.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133050253230000000)
Buyer goes deep into Gulley
15 August 2022This cased pair of English flintlock duelling pistols by Joseph Gulley, London, c.1810-15, sold for £8600 at Halls (20/12% buyer’s premium) in a timed online sale that ended on August 2.
![img_16-3.jpg](/media/82969/img_16-3.jpg?rxy=0.4,0.42386831275720166&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133050332410000000)
Elegant Zouave uniforms underline the French connection
15 August 2022If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the French military could feel pretty proud of itself. The dashing style and spirit of their forces in the 19th century often inspired other nations to create copycat units.
![img_15-6.jpg](/media/82181/img_15-6.jpg?rxy=0.54448398576512458,0.441025641025641&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133026093430000000)
An Unbroken run of success
18 July 2022A ‘Jolly Roger’ or pirate flag that records the Second World War exploits of a British submarine flew once more in a militaria sale earlier this summer.
![Bruun Rasmussen](/media/82104/bruun-rasmussen.jpg?rxy=0.48767123287671232,0.953125&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133023541220000000)
Bonhams closes coins and medals department
11 July 2022Bonhams has closed its coin and medals department in London and specialist John Millensted will now work as a consultant to the firm.
ATG letter: End of medals and coins sales at Bonhams also means end of Glendining’s
11 July 2022You reported on the front page of the ATG (No 2550) that Bonhams has added another auction house to its expanding stable.
![img_16-1.jpg](/media/81591/img_16-1.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133006252360000000)
Logbook records bravery of a top RAF fighter pilot
27 June 2022The highlight of a Cornish auction on June 10 was an RAF logbook from Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot Flying Officer Arthur Peter Pease (1913-40).
![img_9-2.jpg](/media/81260/img_9-2.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132994253910000000)
Mr Derbyshire, a sword and an Armenian mystery
13 June 2022Whatever Mr Derbyshire, The Worthy Representative of Freedom Loving Great Britain was doing in the Caucasus in 1920, the Armenians of Karabach were obviously pretty pleased about it.
![img_13-4.jpg](/media/81031/img_13-4.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132994254470000000)
Rare Rorke’s Drift casualty honour comes up at auction
13 June 2022In May 2019 Spink (20% buyer’s premium) medal specialist Marcus Budgen was entrusted to catalogue the medals of Gunner A Howard, ‘N’ Battery, 5th Brigade, Royal Artillery, one of just four members of the RA present at the defence of Rorke’s Drift in the Zulu War.
![img_14-1.jpg](/media/81034/img_14-1.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132994284010000000)
‘Magnificent’ medal collection generates many four-figure results at Suffolk sale
13 June 2022A private medal collection rated by Ipswich saleroom Lockdales (18% buyer’s premium) as “magnificent” was offered on May 20-22.
![img_13-5.jpg](/media/81032/img_13-5.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132994282050000000)
Polish para auction pick
13 June 2022A selection of Second World War ephemera with a distinctly Polish flavour estimated at £60-100 sold instead for £7600 at a Devon auction.
![img_13-3.jpg](/media/81030/img_13-3.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132994278710000000)
Brave as a lion, proud to be a guinea pig
13 June 2022Flight Lieutenant Maurice ‘Mark’ Mounsdon was one of only four remaining members of Sir Winston Churchill’s ‘The Few’ when he died in 2019 aged 101.
![Revolvers presented to Ulysses S Grant](/media/80567/img_11-2.jpg?rxy=0.48398576512455516,0.41724941724941728&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132983908220000000)
Civil War general Grant's revolvers set US saleroom house record
30 May 2022A pair of revolvers presented to American Civil War general and later US president Ulysses S Grant soldfor $4.4m (£3.61m) or $5.17m with premium.
![img_30-3.jpg](/media/80652/img_30-3.jpg?rxy=0.59252669039145911,0.43650793650793651&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132983854980000000)
Hunting pistol has plenty of stopping power
30 May 2022For 19th century sahibs in tiger country and bwanas dealing with charging lions, howdah pistols like the one offered at West Sussex gun specialist Gavin Gardiner (25% buyer’s premium) were the preferred sidearm.
![img_50-1.jpg](/media/80724/img_50-1.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132983887900000000)
Busy Brussels: BRAFA and Civilisations fairs coming up
30 May 2022From mid-June Brussels will be a hive of activity on the art and antiques front with plenty on offer to interest residents and draw visitors to the city.
![img_15-2.jpg](/media/80009/img_15-2.jpg?rxy=0.43833017077798864,0.47176079734219267&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132971816520000000)
Nelson mourning ring by ‘special request’
16 May 2022The Marine Sale at Bonhams (27.5/25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) included a very rare gold and enamel ring marking the death of Admiral Lord Nelson in 1805.
![img_14-1.jpg](/media/80004/img_14-1.jpg?rxy=0.45730550284629978,0.44015957446808512&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132971816060000000)
Throwing light on proceedings at west London auction
16 May 2022London auctioneer overcomes power cut to complete sale including a mighty Fresnel lens
![CQD Life-Saving Medal](/media/79921/titanic-noonans.jpg?rxy=0.5133689839572193,0.719626168224299&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132966513460000000)
Titanic twists of fate: tale of two auction lots in the US and UK
11 May 2022Fate played a cruel hand in the case of two Titanic passengers whose stories have come to light through recent auction lots.
![Dolls made by Bergen-Belsen victims after liberation](/media/79902/img_7-2.jpg?rxy=0.44705882352941179,0.3125&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132965726660000000)
‘Liberation dolls’ come to auction in Newbury
09 May 2022When the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp was liberated on April 15, 1945, a party of British Red Cross nurses and doctors stayed and tended those they could help back to health.
![img_8-1.jpg](/media/79679/img_8-1.jpg?rxy=0.52104208416833664,0.38067349926793559&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132959600550000000)
Pick of the week: Record price for an RAF Victoria Cross
02 May 2022The Battle of Britain or Dambusters are usually involved when it comes to sizeable Royal Air Force medal results.
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