Arms, Armour & Militaria

The 80th anniversary of Operation Dynamo, aka the Dunkirk evacuation in May-June 1940, has been in the headlines recently. However, less well known is the fate of the British 51st Highland Division almost 100 miles further along the French coast.

A trading standards investigation has unearthed a ‘medal factory’ in Derbyshire, sparking the fear that thousands of fake military awards and badges could be in circulation.

A rare ‘pocket watch’ sold by East Bristol Auctions (18% buyer’s premium) was more surveillance device than timekeeper.

Alan Hewer of Seaford, Sussex, is a book collector who has turned a personal collection into a resource for others.

As the Scottish regiments went over the top on July 1, 1916 – the fateful First Day of the Somme – they were led into battle by the wail of bagpipes.

This rare and well-provenanced silver mounted and quillworked presentation pipe tomahawk is billed as a highlight of Morphy Auctions’ three-day May 27-29 sale in Denver, Pennsylvania.

Norfolk auction house sells 11 guns with provenance to one of the most renowned enthusiasts

A Purdey & Sons double-barrel hammer rifle built in 1875 for the Prince of Wales’ Indian tour of 1875-76 sold for £8000 at the Gavin Gardiner (25% buyer’s premium) live online auction of Modern & Vintage Sporting Guns on April 22.

Ken tanto, distinguished by double-edged blades, are one of the rarer styles of Japanese sword. Most were made as Buddhist ritual implements rather than weapons and are decorated accordingly.

Among the most successful printing projects marking the Napoleonic Wars were the series of aquatints by Thomas Sutherland (1785-1838) after watercolours by the young William Heath (c.1795-1840) titled The Martial Achievements of Great Britain and Her Allies from 1799 to 1815.

Among the highlights of Antony Cribb’s Spring Virtual Arms and Armour sale was a collection of presentation swords.

Interest from bidders in more than 40 countries competed for what Stroud Auctions (18% buyer’s premium plus VAT) called a “world-class private collection of over 4000 military badges”.

Bosleys has launched a new format for its auctions, including a move from Marlow to Staffordshire.

The Church of England was Geoffrey Garner’s vocation in life – collecting military badges his hobby

“Something awful. Never witnessed anything like it before. After a bombardment of a week the Germans mounted their own trenches and the infantry reckon that every German had a machine gun…”