One of the many spoils of war seized by Wellington’s officers and men at the Battle of Vitoria in 1813 was Joseph Bonaparte’s enormous baggage train of over 100 wagons.
The British fell upon the treasure-laden train as it became stuck in the narrow Spanish streets, while Napoleon’s brother and the French army fled.
This dark blue wool army general officer’s coat above was among the items taken and brought back by the 3rd Earl of Abergavenny, John Nevill, to his family seat at Eridge Castle in Sussex. It has remained in the family since and is guided at £15,000-20,000 at Mellors & Kirk’s two-day sale in Nottingham on September 19-20.
mellorsandkirk.com or see this item on thesaleroom.com
A 2ft 2in (67cm) high cold-painted bronze and ivory Art Deco figure by Demetre Chiparus (1886-1947), which has remained in the same collection for more than 40 years, will go under the hammer at Surrey saleroom Ewbank’s on September 13.
Antinea takes as its theme the fictional and bloodthirsty Saharan queen Antinea of Atlantis, who built a red marble mausoleum with 120 catacombs to store the bodies of her lovers.
Estimate £8000-12,000.
ewbankauctions.co.uk or see this item on thesaleroom.com
Three pieces of jewellery and silver from the estate sale of Princess Margaret will be offered at Burstow & Hewett of Battle in East Sussex on September 19.
The trio, which bear either Princess Margaret’s M cipher or a personal inscription, together with a group of signed ballet books, were purchased for around £70,000 at Christie’s multi-million pound sale of the princess’s estate in June 2006.
This large 1967 aquamarine brooch, above, by British jewellery designer John Donald (b.1928) is estimated at £5000-10,000, while a 19th century silver regimental figure, given to Princess Margaret as a wedding gift from the 15th/19th The King’s Royal Hussars in 1960, is guided at £5000-8000.
