Results: Militaria & Ethnographica Sale 18th September

An interesting collection of items relating to Colonel Alwyn de Blaquiere Valentine Paget (1855-1931), one of the Gentleman at Arms (bodyguard) to King Edward VII, sold for £7,500 (all figures exclude buyer’s premium) in the Militaria and Ethnographica Sale on 18^th September at Tennants. Paget was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Durham Light Infantry, and great nephew of Henry William Paget, first Marquess of Anglesey. He was amongst the Gentlemen at Arms who kept vigil by the late king’s coffin during the lying-in-state at Westminster Hall in 1910. The collection comprised a good George V Gentleman at Arms Helmet, his 1887 Pattern Heavy Cavalry Officer’s Sword by Henry Wilkinson, an oil portrait of Paget by John Mansfield Crealock, an Engraved Portrait of King Edward VII given in remembrance of his vigil at the lying-in-state signed by King George V, and an accompanying letter and photograph of the occasion.

In a strong sale overall, further notable results were seen for a Regimental Snare Drum to the 1^st Battalion the Durham Light Infantry (sold for £650), a First World War Sunderland Special Constable’s Truncheon (sold for £320), and a Victoria 1847 Albert Pattern Gilt Brass Helmet to an Officer in 5^th Dragoon Guards (sold for £900. A rare First Pattern Paratrooper’s Helmet from the Second World War, which has been repainted, sold well above estimate at £1,500, and a large First World War Recruiting Poster by Gerald Wood sold for £500.

Medals and memorial plaques sold well, highlights of which included a First World War Distinguished Service Order, sold with the recipient’s framed Commission and accompanying ephemera for £1,600. The medal was awarded to Lieutenant Stuart Culley of the Royal Air Force for his actions in shooting down a Zeppelin at great risk to himself from his Sopwith Camel. Also selling well were a First World War Casualty Group awarded to Private Edgar Hall, comprising War Medal, Victory Medal and Memorial Plaque (sold for £350), and a Military Medal (George V) and Memorial Plaque awarded to Company Sergeant Major William James Black (sold for £350).

Highlights amongst the blades in the sale were a 17^th Century Mortuary Sword (sold for £1,500), a Second World War Japanese Officer’s Katana, surrendered in Singapore to William Wild Mather Boal, a Royal Navy Officer (sold for £1,200), and a Victorian Durham Rifle Volunteer Corps Presentation Sword, presented to Captain Thompson (sold for £800). Also selling well were a Pair of Late 18^th Century Flintlock 15 Bore Duelling/Officer’s Pistols by Bennet, Royal Exchange, London (sold for £1,100), a Pair of Late 18^th/Early 19^th Century Flintlock Blunderbuss Pistols by Henry Nock, London (sold for £1,100), and a Tranter’s Patent Double Action 54 Bore Five Shot Percussion Revolver by James Beattie, London (sold for £1,500).

A good offering of ethnographica in the sale was led by a 19^th Century Australian Aboriginal Parrying Shield, from the Lower Murray River Region; with a deep chestnut colour patina and stone-chiselled decoration, it sold for £3,800. Other notable Aboriginal lots include a 19^th Century Australian Aboriginal Waddy (club or hunting stick) (sold for £600), a 19^th Century Australian Aboriginal War Club (sold for £850), and a 19^th Century Australian Aboriginal Woomera (spear thrower) (sold for £850). A further highlight of the ethnographica section was an Early 20^th Century Asante Ceremonial Carved Wood Yam Ladle from Ghana, which sold with a similar smaller example for £650. Both ladles had been brought back from Ghana by Bertie H Pennymore between 1902-3 and would have been used during the annual Yam Festival.

The sale achieved a total hammer price of £85,800 for the 361 lots with an 87% selling rate.

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