Arms, Armour & Militaria

With 39,000 of these campaign honours given out, which ones can generate extra demand and achieve higher prices?

The personal stories behind medals are becoming increasingly relevant to collectors.

Vice Admiral Davidge Gould was the last surviving member of Nelson’s Band of Brothers, dying in 1847

In its earliest days flying was frequently lethal, in and out of combat.

By the end of the First World War it has been estimated that over eight million horses had died.

Medals awarded to a gallant soldier who was gassed in the First World War were sold at auction just a few minutes’ walk from the house where he was born.

While London gun-makers featured heavily – and lucratively – at Gavin Gardiner’s (25% buyer’s premium) auction of Modern & Vintage Sporting Guns on December 14, provincial makers also got a look in.

Birmingham-born Roy Elvis (1944- 2022) inherited his family interest in antiques and started collecting furniture and decorative arts from an early age.

A pair of militaria highlights related to Irish regiments that came up in recent auctions.

A rare Second World War helmet worn by members of a little-known unit of the UK home front comes for sale at Sworders on February 7.

A selection of militaria with solid Sussex interest appeared at Lewes saleroom Wallis & Wallis (22% buyer’s premium).

Specialist buyers turn out in force to bid for rusty ‘warts and all’ weapons amassed by dealer-collector

At first glance this early 18th century British-made sporting flintlock is nothing particularly out of the ordinary, despite being impressively engraved and relief carved.

Once thought to have been made in antiquity, bucklers are now understood to have been late medieval or Tudor small shields.

Top result from the October 26 arms and armour auction at Munich saleroom Hermann Historica (25% buyer’s premium) was a 5ft 6in (1.67m) two-hand sword made by the acclaimed bladesmith Wolfgang Stantler II of Passau, c.1580.

On account of its extraordinary appearance, the Nock seven-barrelled flintlock volley gun has become something of an icon of warfare in the Age of Sail.

This Victorian purse gun was designed by Oscar Frankenau from Nuremberg and patented in both the UK and the US in 1876.

‘Zero profit’ but event got through Covid and has 220 stands at the next event

The Stroud engineer Edwin Beard Budding (1796-1846) is considered the inventor of the lawnmower (1830) and the adjustable spanner (1842).

A pair of ornate presentation flintlock pistols made in London and later owned by an American patriot sold for $55,000 (£46,200) at a US saleroom.