British athlete Guy Butler outran the legendary Harold Abrahams and came third to Eric Liddell, heroes of the 1924 Olympics, whose feats were celebrated in the 1981 blockbuster film Chariots of Fire.
Now Butler’s family have consigned his extensive collection of athletics medals and trophies – including those from the 1920, 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games – to Noonans of Mayfair on May 9 (pictured above).
Lotted together in a single collection estimated at £15,000-20,000, the medals include 1920 Belgium OIympic Games in Antwerp silver-gilt winner’s medal 1600m, silver winner’s medal 400m and bronze participant’s medal. From the 1924 France Olympic Games in Paris, a bronze winner’s medal, second bronze winner’s medal, bronze participant’s medal and competitor’s official badge in brass and red enamel. Also, a 1928 Netherlands Olympic Games in Amsterdam light bronze participant’s medal.
A copy of the memoirs of Charles de Gaulle and a photo of the later President of the French Republic (1959-69) both dedicated to a British colonel are on offer at Exeter saleroom Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood.
Memoires de Guerre: L’Appel 1940-1942, Paris: Plon 1954, first edition, limited edition A1475 of 1500, is signed and inscribed by de Gaulle to Col RR Hoare, dated October 14, 1955, as is a black and white portrait photograph of the French wartime leader standing in a library (but dated to June 7, 1963).
They are estimated together at £300-500 in the Antiquarian Book Sale on May 14.
Col Robert Rawdon Hoare, DSO, MC (1897- 1977) was the commanding officer of 5th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, part of the Eighth Army (Desert Rats). He was a major in command of K company which held up the German encirclement of British and allied troops at Dunkirk, at the village of Hondeghein on 1940. He was awarded the DSO later that year. Post war he was chairman of the Economic League, a cover organisation liaising between the secret services of NATO powers.
Portrait of Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, by Cecil Beaton, estimate £10,000-15,000 at Bonhams.
The personal collection of writer, historian and broadcaster Hugo Vickers is among the highlights of Bonhams’ Collections sale running until May 8.
Vickers became the official biographer of Cecil Beaton in 1979 and literary executor after Beaton’s death in 1980.
The lots include sketches and photographs by Beaton from the artist’s personal collection.
Estimated at £10,000-15,000 is a portrait of Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, by Beaton, showing her full length, with additional pencil sketches to the right-hand side, possibly of the Duke of Windsor.
Bust of The Honourable Wynne Godley by Sir Jacob Epstein, estimate £3000-5000 at Dawsons.
Dawsons of Maidenhead is offering several works by Sir Jacob Epstein (1880-1959) in the Design, Art & Interiors auction on May 16.
Shown here is Bust of The Honourable Wynne Godley, green patinated bronze, 20½in (52cm) high including the base.
It was conceived in 1956 and reputed to have been exhibited at Fairmount, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1962.
The Honourable Wynne Godley was the younger son of the Third Lord Kilbracken, and the model for the head of St Michael and Devil, Coventry Cathedral.
This bust has a provenance to Christie’s 20th Century British Art auction in December 2010. At Dawsons it is estimated at £3000-5000.
Musical automaton featuring a Victorian doll lying in a brass bedstead and holding a baby, estimate £3000-5000 at Thomson Roddick.
A collection of 19th century automata comes for sale at Thomson Roddick in Ayr on May 16. This 14in (35cm) musical model features a Victorian doll lying in a brass bedstead and holding a baby. When the mechanism is activated, the lady sits up in bed and rocks the baby and her eyes open.
It has an estimate of £3000-5000.
Brian Eastwood custom guitar for blues musician Victor Brox, estimate £1000-2000 at Ryedale Auctioneers.
The personal collections of blues musician Victor Brox, who died in 2023 at the age of 81, will be sold at Ryedale Auctioneers in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, on May 2.
The Manchester Evening News said of his long career: “Brox played with Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Janis Joplin, and had a love affair with Nico. Jimi Hendrix called Victor his ‘favourite white voice’, and he was a huge influence on a young Jimmy Page.”
Brox was raised in Droylsden, Greater Manchester. After travelling the world with his various bands, he returned there in 2005. He was an enthusiastic collector of oddities and unusual finds, amassed during his lifetime of travelling, including fossils, coins, antiquities, antique furniture, musical instruments, and more.
Shown here is a Brian Eastwood Victor Brox custom guitar, build based on an early Fender but square/vintage style, c.2000s, estimate £1000-2000.
The sale at Kew Auctions in London on May 15 includes this novelty silver and enamel ‘dog in kennel’ vesta case estimated at £1000-1500.
Hallmarked for Thomas Johnson, London 1881, it was retailed by William Thornhill & Co of 144 Bond Street. The drawer with striker is engraved MD from RPC, Dublin 1882.
This pair of Victorian still-life paintings by East Anglian artist Eloise Harriet Stannard (1829- 1915) were previously in the collection of the Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington and last sold at Sotheby’s, New York in 1981.
Still Life of Strawberries and Flowers on a Wooden Ledge and Still Life of Mixed Fruit, each measuring 11 x 13in (27 x 34cm), have a guide of £4000-6000 at Bishop & Miller in Glandford near Holt, Norfolk, on May 8.
Late Victorian gold, old-cut diamond star pendant brooch, estimate £3000-4000 at Kinghams.
This late Victorian gold, old-cut diamond star pendant brooch with a blue enamel surround includes stones with an estimated total weight of 3.5ct. At Kinghams in Moreton-in-Marsh on May 3 it has a guide of £3000-4000.
Star Wars UKG 80 Graded Jawa with vinyl cape on a 1978 Star Wars Palitoy 12 back B card, fully sealed bubble, punched card, estimate £20,000-30,000 at C&T.
Shown here is a rare Star Wars UKG 80 Graded Jawa with vinyl cape on a 1978 Star Wars Palitoy 12 back B card, fully sealed bubble, punched card, which is for sale at Kent saleroom C&T on May 8.
An original Hamley’s £1.25 price sticker is applied to the acrylic case (not the card), and there is a slight ink residue of where a price sticker was removed on the ‘Jawa’ name plate, no litho damage. The description is given as ‘C75-B90-F85’.
The vinyl cape version of the Jawa was the first issue example of this figure, short lived and replaced by the cloth cape version.
This is only one of four or five examples known to exist on the Palitoy card back.
Estimate £20,000-30,000.
A 17th century memento mori watch-case modelled as a human skull, estimate £3000-5000 at Tennants.
A 17th century watch-case modelled as a human skull and inscribed with reminders that death is nigh is estimated at £3000-5000 at Tennants of Leyburn, North Yorkshire, on May 18.
Made of solid silver, it is one of several known examples made in the era as memento mori. Inscribed on the skull are an hourglass and a scythe was well as Latin inscriptions including Incerta Mortis Hora or ‘the hour of death is uncertain’ and Vita Fugit Ut Hora or ‘life flies, like an hour’.
Tennants says a very similar example, possibly made by the same hand, is held in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, and another is in the collection of the British Museum. While the exact origins of these skulls are unknown, testing of the silver suggests the present skull is Dutch or German in origin and the watch mechanisms present in other examples narrow down the likely area of production to Augsburg in Germany.
A 19th century Chinese mother of pearl brisé fan, estimate £700-1500 at Morphets.
The sale titled Fans and Finery at Morphets in Harrogate on May 2 includes this 19th century Chinese mother of pearl brisé fan engraved with typical scenes of figures, boats buildings, flora and fauna.
Estimate £700-1500.
Dinky Toys French market Type 2 25B Covered Wagon in red and black, estimate £380-440 at Vectis.
Pre-war Dinky toys at the specialist Diecast Auction at Vectis in Stockton-on- Tees on May 8 include this French market Type 2 25B Covered Wagon in red and black. A bright example of a hard to find issue, it is guided at £380-440.
