Arms, Armour & Militaria

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.

A ‘Siege of Louisbourg’ powder horn belonging to one Ranger Abijah Smith sold for $17,500 (£15,200) at Bonhams Skinner in an auction on September 28 in Massachusetts.

Estimated at just £60-90, this English Civil War-era mortuary sword sold for £2300 at Unique Auctions (22.5% buyer’s premium) in Lincoln on October 22.

Chris Wynne dedicated his collecting energies to early guns by a London maker that became an international brand

This fine First World War silver presentation model of the Vickers FB5 or Gunbus was made by Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Company (London 1916).

Militaria related to the SAS has never been short of eager collectors wanting to splash out for items connected with the British special forces unit.

Despite their sterling service with the Allies, a large number of Polish soldiers could not return home when the fighting ended, as a fascinating archive reveals.

Lt William Emlyn Hardwick (1885-1918) was born in Brecon but by the time he enlisted to fight in the First World War he was living in Australia.

Stroud Auction Rooms’ sale on November 9-10 will feature over 1000 lots of guns, weapons, medals and militaria, including two notable collections.

A group of father-and-son lots related to the Royal Navy may have been small in size but revealed a combined service in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars that was lengthy.

Air Commander J Searby had a key role to play in the Peenemunde Raid targeting the V weapons factory during the night of the August 17-18, 1943, as part of the RAF’s elite Path Finder Force.

Relatively few gallantry medals available for what was short self-contained conflict, heroic stories involving highly collectable regiments, a relatively morally unambiguous backstory (for British collectors at least)… the Falklands War can generate high demand at auction.

When Bill Speakman won his Victoria Cross on November 4, 1951, fighting beside him was Corporal John Pender.