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.
![Matt Easton](/media/102564/img_4-2.jpg?rxy=0.19950124688279303,0.14444444444444443&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133588539560000000)
Royal Mail now refuses to deliver antique swords
29 April 2024An antique arms and armour dealer is leading a campaign to stop couriers from restricting the delivery of antique examples.
![WEB Couling Drakes 1](/media/102440/web-couling-drakes-1.jpg?rxy=0.51333333333333331,0.17521902377972465&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133585274970000000)
Medal awarded to 1944 Arnhem para corporal for life-saving heroics sells for £43,000
24 April 2024The Arnhem-linked medal group awarded to Brigadier Sir Mark ‘Honker’ Henniker that sold recently at Noonans for £100,000 hammer underlined the demand for Second World War airborne honours.
![img_15-1.jpg](/media/101556/img_15-1.jpg?rxy=0.49189189189189192,0.67897727272727271&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133564411510000000)
Bravery of mine defusers recognised by George medals and crosses
01 April 2024George Medals were awarded to military recipients for bravery not in the face of the enemy, so bomb or mine disposal is a classic reason.
![img_16-1.jpg](/media/101561/img_16-1.jpg?rxy=0.49549549549549549,0.72714078374455737&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133564413680000000)
Lost in non-translation: honour won by a blagger
01 April 2024On February 29 Fellows (25% buyer’s premium) of Birmingham held its inaugural Monies, Medals & Militaria sale.
![img_14-5.jpg](/media/101554/img_14-5.jpg?rxy=0.51351351351351349,0.25416666666666665&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133564411850000000)
Snuff box up at auction 'belonged to Napoleon on St Helena'
01 April 2024The Militaria auction at Norfolk saleroom TW Gaze on April 18 includes an item linked to Napoleon’s exile on St Helena.
![img_14-6.jpg](/media/101555/img_14-6.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133564334830000000)
POW sketches created in secret reveal Japanese camp scenes
01 April 2024A remarkable sketchbook compiled after its creator had been taken prisoner at the fall of Singapore in the Second World War sold for £1650 (estimate £500-700) as part of a timed online sale.
![img_15-4.jpg](/media/101559/img_15-4.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133562182410000000)
Steele shows his mettle in the North West Mounted Police
01 April 2024This North West Mounted Police hat badge caught the attention when Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood (25% buyer’s premium) of Exeter sold the remaining personal effects of Canadian soldier and policeman Major General Sir Samuel Benfield Steele KCMG CB MVO (1848-1919) on March 19.
![img_13-1.jpg](/media/101547/img_13-1.jpg?rxy=0.50090090090090089,0.72153846153846157&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133564410540000000)
Victoria Cross awarded eventually ‘by vote of his brother officers’
01 April 2024Among six-figure successes in the medals market, last year Spink sold the ‘Operation Chastise’ Distinguished Flying Cross group of five given to Dambuster Flt Lt Edward ‘Johnnie’ Johnson for £105,000.
![img_16-4.jpg](/media/101564/img_16-4.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133562182510000000)
Personal touch on board: the ditty box
01 April 2024With space and privacy at a premium on board ships, sailors used ditty boxes to store their most treasured possessions plus personal necessities and everyday items such as sewing kit.
![img_12-1.jpg](/media/101541/img_12-1.jpg?rxy=0.4797794117647059,0.66556291390728473&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133564409530000000)
Medals & militaria: String of six-figure successes in Mayfair
01 April 2024Mayfair auction house builds on an excellent performance last year with stand-out results at the start of 2024
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Signs to show how Brits fought back at the flying bombs
01 April 2024The Germans began firing V1 flying bombs at Britain in June 1944 and V2 rockets followed that September.
![War recruitment poster](/media/101290/img_8-1.jpg?rxy=0.3674496644295302,0.41362530413625304&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133552336560000000)
Pick of the week: Poster recruiting Jewish women to the war effort triples estimate at auction
18 March 2024Second World War posters recruiting British and American women to the war effort are a familiar sight at auction.
![img_17-5.jpg](/media/100968/img_17-5.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133546236720000000)
Good Korea move: Joseon helmet soars to £20,500
11 March 2024It may have been catalogued as requiring restoration but a “scarce” 19th century Korean helmet still managed to sell for 82 times its low estimate at Hansons (26% buyer’s premium).
![img_13-2.jpg](/media/100947/img_13-2.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133546276660000000)
Watches: How military precision massively influenced design
11 March 2024The wristwatch, which began to replace the pocket watch in the First World War, really came into its own with the production of bespoke ‘tool’ watches for submariners and airmen later in the century
![Ethiopian shield](/media/100660/2633ne-ethiopian-shield.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133537600610000000)
Ethiopian shield taken from battle of Maqdala withdrawn from auction
01 March 2024The owner of an 19th century Ethiopian shield has decided to withdraw it from auction at Anderson & Garland.
![WEB Johnson Hansons 2](/media/100647/web-johnson-hansons-2.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133536038100000000)
Museum buys fragment thought to be from trail blazing pilot Amy Johnson's crashed plane
28 February 2024Kent Battle of Britain Museum has bought a fragment of wreckage believed to be from the last plane flown by pioneering British aviator Amy Johnson in 1941.
![Livery buttons](/media/100632/livery-group-button.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133534358880000000)
Huge button collection heads to Gloucestershire auction
27 February 2024Sufferers of koumpounophobia, look away now. Thousands of buttons will be offered at Dominic Winter Auctioneers next month.
![WEB Harper Field Scott 1](/media/100174/web-harper-field-scott-1.jpg?rxy=0.483271375464684,0.44720496894409939&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133522206740000000)
Medals of SAS hero who fought alongside the legendary Paddy Mayne in a 'suicidal' rescue mission make £41,000
13 February 2024Renowned SAS commander 'Paddy' Mayne was so courageous (and hard as nails) he won not one but four Distinguished Service Order awards during the Second World War.
![img_12-1.jpg](/media/99999/img_12-1.jpg?rxy=0.62190812720848054,0.41840277777777779&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133522015060000000)
Noonans takes top coins and medals spot
12 February 2024Noonans was the dominant player in the London coins and medals auction market in 2023 with a market share of almost 32%, ATG’s exclusive annual special report reveals.
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